2000
by Miramichi
Summary: The turn of the century was the beginning of a new era when, on New Years eve, a great arch appeared in Times Square, New York and began to summon people to save worlds in alternate dimensions. Kagome, one of the listed, is transported to a new world filled with war, espionage, and yokai. She soon finds herself fighting not only for her life but for her heart as well.
1. Chapter 1

2000\. The turn of the century. The new millennium. The world waited with baited breath as they watched their clocks count them into a new period expected to bring about technological innovation and peace on earth. New Year parties and celebrations took place all throughout the world in major cities as the time zones changed. However, when the famed Times Square ball dropped, signaling the New Year in New York City, amidst the fanfare and celebration there was a great explosion and flash of light.

The square had been surprisingly quiet and it was not until the smoke cleared that the reason was discovered. Where there had once been thousands of people only corpses remained. Rising out of the sea of bodies was an arch of smooth black stone which was covered in an expanse of stylized carvings; the symbols and drawings shimmered internally with a rainbow of colors. An opaque cloud stretched under the arch, making it impossible to see through to the other side, with an occasional bolt of color shooting across. The arch remained lit for ten days before all color and the strange cloud dissipated, leaving nothing but a dark stone archway.

Top geologists, archaeologists, and various other specialized scientists were gathered to discover just what had happened and the origins of what was later dubbed "The Blood Arch" as a result of the death it wreaked upon its appearance. It was quickly discovered that no technology could be within fifty yards of the arch, if it did enter the parameter than the equipment would simply short out regardless of the equipment's power source. Despite the efforts of the many working to understand the arch, it was not until exactly one month later at midnight that the world learned its purpose.

On February 1, 2000, the arch suddenly re-activated. However, unlike the first time it appeared, there was no explosion or burst of light. Instead, the runes slowly lit from the bottom up and the opaque cloud spread, filling the opening of the arch. The world waited with baited breath to see what would happen. It was moments later that the first name appeared from within the cloud: Aaron Bates. Beneath the script was an image of a young man in his late twenties. He had a short haircut and what looked like dog tags hanging around his neck. Military.

The world was once again flung into confusion as they searched out Aaron Bates in what was later known as the Bates affair. He was an American soldier who had been on leave and was spending time at home with his wife and three year old daughter. He was immediately taken into US custody and thoroughly questioned. Many governments believed that he was somehow responsible and were calling for his public execution.

Ten days after the Blood Arch activated, it returned to its dormant state. The moment the arch went dark, Aaron Bates died.

In March the name was Ada Bäcker, a German woman who was an elementary school teacher in her late forties. She too was taken in by her government and questioned. Then, like Bates, she died when the ten days had passed.

This cycle continued for the next three months but regardless of what they did, the person named always died after the ten days was up. Their causes of death could not be found; as if their soul simply left them.

This pattern ended on July first when the name listed was an eight year old Australian boy named Levi Taylor. Unlike other governments, the Australians approached the United States asking if they could bring the boy to New York, that maybe he would just need to come into contact with the arch.

So on the seventh day, Levi Taylor was led by the hand to the Blood Arch. Many had come to fear the arch believing it to be a sign that the world was ending so Levi's fear of the arch was considerable and understood by his mother who was grasping his hand. She had tears streaking down her face, afraid of the arch and for her son's well being. It was with a shaking voice that she told her son to reach out to touch the arch.

When Levi's skin came into contact with the arch it seemed to glow even brighter than before and the cloud inside shifted until a landscape came into view. Looking though the arch one should have been able to see the buildings on the other side, yet instead the image was that of a green pasture with strange llamas which seemed to have wings and were using them to fly through the sky. A red sky.

The watching world was amazed at what they saw. Apparently, Levi was charmed by the scenery because he released his mother's hand and proceeded to walk right through the arch, his body disappearing just as the image did. The Blood Arch immediately deactivated, returning to its dormant state. Levi's mother tried to follow after him but she was unable to follow. There was a worldwide search for Levi but he remained missing.

There were several truths the world learned from this. First, it was possible for the arch to go dormant before the ten days. Second, the person named is transported somewhere unknown. Third, if they did not go, they would die.

Fifteen years after the Blood Arch first appeared 179 names have been called. Of those people 116 people have crossed through the Arch, the rest choosing death. Very few passed through the gates after Levi in the beginning. The UN declared a state of emergency and attempted to bomb the arch, leveling New York City in the process. Yet, the arch remained standing.

The turning point was September 27, 2004. It was four in the afternoon in what was once New York City when the arch suddenly lit up and from it a man emerged. He was covered in battle armor and wielded a great sword which seemed to pulsate in his hand. The soldiers who were stationed at the arch immediately took action demanding he surrender. Strangely enough, the man fell to his knees and began to weep. He was the first person after Levi to enter the gate and the fifteenth name to be listed on the arch: Fallon Michaels.

Fallon was returned to his homeland, England, and subjected to extensive questioning. He told how the arch was a portal to a different world. He did not know if they were all the same, but it was later proven that they were in fact different worlds. The world he was transported to was a world of fire and ash. The ground was riddled with volcanoes and geysers. The sentient beings that habituated the world were known as Zoriants and were small dwarf like creatures with incredibly thick skin. They seemed to communicate using various grunts and whines.

When he had arrived they were afraid of him and attempted to kill him. Having been on his university's fencing team he was able to use a long burnt root to fight them off. Plant life was scarce in the world and the Zoriants lived off of the volcanic dwelling animals and what little water they could salvage from the geysers.

When Fallon eventually gained their trust and learned their language he set off to explore the world and soon found was appeared to be an oasis. Convincing the Zoriants to relocate was difficult and he had to fight more than one of them before they consented. He helped teach them about agriculture and a more sustainable lifestyle, believing that he was trapped in the world. It was not long before the true threat appeared in the form of a manipulative and cruel overlord who joyed in the oppression of others.

Fallon had to raise an army to overthrow the lord and liberate the world. The moment his sword fell, ending the lord's life, Fallon felt a pull at his soul. Then, before he could comprehend what had happened he was standing in the ruins of New York City with soldiers speaking English.

It was then the world realized the final truth about the arch: It was possible to return.

Only 49 people have returned from where they were sent after crossing through the arch. Each world was different and each person had different tasks they fulfilled. However, there was one underlying principle: there was always someone they had to defeat and they would always return when they vanquished them.

People who returned were never the same as they were before; they could not re-adjust to Earth and the reality that they were no longer fighting for their lives. Some even killed themselves in an attempt to wake up from what they believed was a dream. Yet, the arch continued to list names. Once a month at the designated time. So few return.


	2. Chapter 2

"Kagome, have you prayed at the shrine yet?" Kagome's mother asked in a nervous tone.

"Mother, we live at a shrine. I think that will be enough for the Kami." She replied in a bored tone.

"Kagome please-"

"Fine, guess it couldn't hurt." Kagome glanced at the clock 1:45 PM. Groaning she hurried to the shrine.

She clapped her hands together in prayer while bowing deeply. _Please protect my family._ It was the same every month before the names would be listed. Kagome was not terribly worried about anyone she knew being called; after all there are 7.125 billion people on earth. She was about to walk away when she stopped, unease building in the pit of her stomach. Turning, she once again repeated the prayer, just to be safe, before heading back inside her home.

Her family was already stationed around the television in the living room as they watched the talks leading up to the eventual activation of the Blood Arch. At 23, Kagome could clearly remember the fateful New Year's Day and each listing that followed. New Year's in no longer celebrated, rather it is a day of silence in remembrance of all who have been victims of the arch.

Kagome was only half paying attention to what the announcer was saying about the training programs that had been established in many high population countries, including Japan, so that the people listed would have some knowledge on how to defend themselves. These defense classes replaced normal gym classes and students were required to have extensive training in sword arts as well as archery. Many schools, like Kagome's, receive additional government funding for giving additional training in horseback riding and battle strategy.

It was in this militant environment and state of fear that Kagome trained her body and mind to be prepared for any situation. She had decided the moment Fallon Michaels reappeared that should her name be listed, she would return.

A deep, relieved sigh from her mother brought Kagome's attention back to the screen. She felt nausea churn in her stomach and couldn't help but pity the girl whose face appeared on the screen. Her golden hair was cropped short and she was wearing a military looking uniform. _She must attend a military academy_ , Kagome vaguely thought. The girl's eyes were filled with hatred and defiance. Tyran Jhost.

"So young." Kagome's grandfather muttered as he shook his head with sad eyes. "The poor thing can't be more than fourteen."

"Tyran Jhost, age thirteen, is listed as being a student at the Northern Correctional Outpost in Poland." The reporter introduced. "As per regulation, we ask that she report to her closest police station within the next 12 hours."

The reporter continued his rudimentary description of the girl, mostly containing her physical characteristics and any official documentation that may provide insight into her character. Reaching over, Kagome turned off the power to the TV.

"I am going to get some fresh air for a bit, Mom." Kagome said as she put on a jacket and pair of mittens.

"That's fine dear, just please be safe." Her mother, seeing the exasperated expression her daughter gave her, sighed and threw her hand up. "Even if you are the top of your class in self-defense and military arts, you don't know what could happen! I am your mother; I am allowed to worry for you."

"Of course." Kagome couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, a look of indulgence lighting her features. Her mother couldn't help but feel as though she were being humored by her daughter.

"Weren't you leaving?" She pouted.

"I'll be back for dinner." Kagome said with a laugh as she headed out into the cold.

"KAGOME! It's 2:30! How much fresh air do you need?"

"I'm going to Hojo's."

"OHH! Kagome's going to her boyfriends!" Sota called from where he was lounging in the living room. Kagome watched as her mother snapped the door shut then proceeded to hear her brother scrambling away from her mother as she no doubt chased him through the house.

The streets were barren as they always were on the first of the month. Businesses, schools, and other activities halted an hour before and after the time of the announcement so that people could be with their families. Yet, Kagome enjoyed the solitude. So much of her life was spent around people and it was rare that she would get a moment to herself. Thus, the monthly walks through the abandoned Tokyo. During this time she would think of everything and nothing as she kicked a stone along or gazed up at the towering buildings.

After wandering the city for an hour, watching as life once again returned to the streets as if the city itself was letting out a relieved breath, she found herself walking up to Hojo's front door. Like Kagome, he had decided to attend Tokyo University and would commute to the school from home. Although they had known each other from when they were young, it was not until they were partnered in one of the combat simulation exams when they were undergraduates at university that they became close and eventually began to date.

Before her hand even reached the doorbell, she found herself face to face with her boyfriend who appeared to be headed out.

"Oh, Kagome!" he smiled as he pulled her into a warm hug, "I was just about to head over to your place."

"You could have called to let me know." She murmured into his shoulder.

"Says the girl who just showed up at my door without any notice." He chuckled before giving her a loving smile and chaste kiss. With their foreheads pressed together, he whispered a small, "Thanks for not being named."

"No problem." She whispered back. Hojo then pulled her inside and, after removing their coats and mittens, led her to his room where they sat together on his bed. Hojo was telling her about some outrageous stunt his sister had pulled the other day when they were viewing the lights on Christmas, and Kagome couldn't help but allow her mind to wander to when they were paired up for the exam.

Hojo was a kind and generous boy, always willing to go out of his way to help others. Smart, handsome, and great personality; there was nothing to hate about the boy. Yet, Kagome could bring herself to be comfortable around him. When they were partnered she recalled feeling annoyed, as if Hojo would hold her back. Every day, Kagome spend hours drilling sword forms, hand to hand combat, and any other weapon on hand. She poured herself into her studies, working hard to improve her ability to read a battlefield. In her free time, she would lock herself up in the university's library to learn about different cultures around the world, history being a passion of hers.

Hojo, on the other hand, seemed to not have any cares and simply seemed to understand the material being presented. When it came to their military art courses, she had yet to see him be serious about fighting. So when they were paired for a survival simulation exam, she decided to whip the boy into shape. The weeks that passed before the exam were made up of her pushing him to his best and him flirting with her; much to her displeasure. Eventually, she snapped asked him how he could always smile and act like he didn't have a care.

"Because I'm terrified."

If the shaking of his voice or the pale pallor of his face didn't move her heart, it was the haunted look in his eyes. The same eyes she sees on people the days leading up to the announcement. The same eyes she sees in her reflection when she considers what could happen in the future.

"-mae. Kagome!" Hojo's hand on her cheek brought her attention back to the present.

"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about the past." He smiled and pulled her to lay down with him on the bed.

"Hmm. Well, next time you decide to take a little field trip, let me know so I don't talk myself horse."

"I'll try to remember;" sarcasm heavy in her voice. Pressing a gentle kiss to her temple, Hojo seemed content to hold her in his arms as if to reassure himself that she was still there.

"I had a bad feeling today before the announcement." Kagome whispered. Hojo just held her tightly. "I thought-"

"You weren't listed. Everything is fine." Snuggling into him she nodded her head and closed her eyes, listening to the regular beat of Hojo's heart. "Everything is fine."

Ten days later, Tyran Jhost passed through the arch.


	3. Chapter 3

"The lack of enforcement for international policy, as it would infringe on a state's national sovereignty, has led to policy being largely based upon a nation's credibility and form of government. A nation with a large electorate will be more likely to comply with a treaty. This is because there is a large population who decides the leader, therefore making the leader responsible for his actions; if he is not fulfilling his promises, he will not be re-elected. The opposite can be said for a nation with a small electorate. The leader only needs to satisfy the few people keeping him in office, which allows him to go back on promises as there will be no danger to his position…"

"Kagome." Yuka whispered as she nudged Kagome with her elbow. Kagome, who had been diligently taking notes on lecture, turned questioning blue eyes to her friend. Yuka, not taking her eyes from the lecture, slid her phone and a headphone to Kagome. Curious, and knowing that she wouldn't be noticed in the large lecture hall, Kagome put in one of the headphones and turned her attention to the news video being shown.

"Eliena Baustrater appeared at the Blood Arch early late last night." The image changed from the reporter to show Eliena. She was clothed in what appeared to be maroon metal scales which adhered to her body like a second skin. Her bow made of bone was raised as if she had only just fired an arrow. Her hand flashed as she reached into quiver of arrows and drew her bow, so quick were her movements, Kagome had to strain to see them. She was terrifyingly beautiful as she glared around her, trying to discern where she was. This image lasted but a moment. A horrified expression slowly covered her face as she turned and found herself dwarfed by the large arch behind her. She gingerly reached out to touch the arch, her hand trembling slightly. When nothing happened when her fingers made contact, she began to beat her fists against the stone crying out names as she screamed in a foreign language. She tried to pass through the arch but it did not accept her. "As you can see, she was quite distraught when she returned and medical help will be provided when she completes her debriefing. More to come later."

Kagome frowned as she removed the ear bud. There were always mixed reactions from the people who returned. Some overjoyed, others disbelieving, but many of the people who returned were heartbroken. Most had lived accepted the fact that they would never return and had built lives in the other worlds, started families. Thus when they were ripped away from the home they had created there only to be returned to earth, they could never recover. To feel the despair of losing your family not only once, but twice was too cruel for Kagome to even think on.

"It seems she was married and had a child in the world she was transported to." Ayumi said as she settled in for lunch at the table she, Kagome, Eri, and Yuka were sharing. "That's so sad."

"Not only that, apparently in the world she was transported to they raised dragons! The dragon and their rider are telepathically connected and if the connection is broken it causes serious brain damage." Eri added.

"Mou! Can we not talk about depressing things like this all the time?" Kagome wined.

"Oh ho ho." Eri laughed with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Of course, Kagome. In fact, why don't you tell us what you and Hojo have been up to?"

"W-What do you mean?" Kagome asked, her eyes darting between her so called friends.

"When is he going to ask?" Yuka questioned, "You two are planning on getting married, right? I mean, it has been five years since you began dating."

"Well, we've talked about it before." Kagome blushed as she looked away, "We are just waiting until we graduate."

"That won't be for another three years Kagome." Ayumi sighed, "A Ph.D. in international foreign relations takes a while."

"And I'm willing to wait until she is ready." Hojo said as he snuck up and kissed Kagome on the cheek before sitting to her left. "How have you girls been today? The weather is warming up a bit."

"Great." Kagome said as she returned his kiss on the cheek.

"Blech." Eri exasperated. "Do that stuff where I don't have to see it.

"But Eri, you were the one asking about it." Kagome innocently batter her eyelashes while Eri mumbled a few choice words about the value of their friendship. "Anyway, have you guys done your course evaluations yet? They are due tomorrow at noon."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Yuka groaned, "Which set did you have this month, Kagome?"

"The endurance and stamina, so don't even complain to me." She said as she held up her hand refusing any protests, "Until you have to run the obstacle course with twenty pound weights strapped to your legs and arms, carrying a forty pound backpack, during a hurricane simulation, I really don't want to hear it."

"But Kagome, you only have to do that because you passed out of the expert course."

"Hojo has to do it too."

"BECAUSE YOU MAKE HIM TRAIN WITH YOU!" her three friends cried.

"Ma ma, it's not that bad." Hojo said placating.

"You two spend at least five hours a day training!"

"The weapons master has had to modify his weapons to keep up with the strain you place on them!"

"Five training halls have been destroyed in the last year from your spars."

"Ehhehe." Kagome and Hojo sweat dropped. "That's beside the point. You three need to finish up your evaluations or you could lose your scholarships."

"Yea yea, we hear you." Yuka sighed. "Guess I'll head to the gun range.

"Dojo for me," Eri groaned, "Hand to hand is not my favorite."

"Survival!" Ayumi cried after checking her schedule, "Shit, I barely have enough time! These survival simulations are overnight things after all and tomorrow is … well it's that time of the month again I guess."

"That can be incredibly misleading." Hojo said with a blush before sobering, "It will be fine; none of us will be the one listed." Despite his words, his hand gripped Kagome's a little tighter.

"Yea." Yuka replied with a smile. "You'd think we would be used to this by now."

"The day we become used to it is the day we are no longer human."

There were always large amounts of visitors to the shrine on the first of every month, but they had all returned to their homes already as it was only a half hour till the announcement. Kagome brushed a stray hair from her face as she finished sweeping the shrine. She clapped her hands and bowed to the shrine. _Please protect my family_.

Entering her house she saw her grandfather placing sutras on the television as if they would ward off bad spirits. Sota was lounging on the sofa texting some of his friends. Her mother was cleaning the dishes from their late lunch. Like every month, the reporters talked about how the institutions and training programs that were installed had truly helped people's chances in the other worlds and that the return rater had been higher than ever. They would try to encourage the world's population that the scientists they had working on the arch were the best, and it wouldn't be long until they succeeded in understanding how it worked and, more specifically, how to shut it down.

The image on the screen then cut away from the reporter to show a view of Times Square. Of course technology couldn't enter within fifty yards of the Arch, but from a distance, national new stations had set up their filming equipment to broadcast the latest unfortunate person to the world. They briefly showed some of the crazy fanatics who worshiped the Arch like a god, believing that it was a gateway to heaven.

Then at midnight (in New York), the familiar glow spread through the runes, making its way up the arch. The filmy cloud appeared as yellow and blue bolts flashed under the Arch like lightning. It was with a curious morbidity that Kagome saw her name appear from within the clouds accompanied by a photo her school had taken for their identification. She saw her own blue black hair shining around her smiling face. Her electric blue eyes returned her gaze.

A hand gripped arm tightly and Kagome's eyes followed the arm to find her mother's astonished face glued to the television. Her eyes were wide and fearful, her lips parting in disbelief. She felt an odd sense of detachment when she turned back to the television and once again saw her own face looking back at her, the name Higurashi Kagome shimmering above it.

Her gaze wandered to meet her brother's tearstained face. _Why is he crying?_ She mussed to herself. _Why is mother gripping my hand so tightly? Is her hand shaking? Just what is happening?_ Her cell phone began to ring beside her. Blinking, Kagome read the caller ID and saw that it was from Yuka.

"KAGOME!" Yuka cried when Kagome answered, "Oh Kagome, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean Yuka?" Kagome's voice was light and airy, "Has something happened?"

"Kagome, you were listed! LISTED!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kagome replied with a shaky laugh. "I haven't been listed." Beside her, Kagome's mother gave a soft cry. "I mean, the chances of that happening-"

"It happened, Kagome!"

Softly, Kagome closed her phone, ending the call. She then turned to the weeping figure at her side.

"Mommy?" She asked smiling to her mother. "Mommy. Mommy. Mommy? Mom…" Kagome's voice grew softer and shaker the more she prodded her mother. By the end tears were streaming down her face. She shook her mother and only got a small whimper in reply.

"We have received reports from the Japanese government that Higurashi Kagome is a female student in Tokyo, age 23, and attending Tokyo University. They ask that she report to her closest police station within the next 12 hours." The reporter's voice filled the silent room.


	4. Chapter 4

Hojo's hand felt cool against her own as they sat in the waiting room of the police station with her family, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of her hand. The methodical movement felt rather comforting to Kagome; it drew her attention from the soft muffled tears of her mother and the constant ringing of telephones in the office. Her head rested on Hojo's shoulder, taking in his warmth. Her eyes followed his hands movements before being drawn to the ring resting on her left hands fourth finger. It was a delicate golden band with a single small diamond. Kagome couldn't help but smile at how perfect it was; a simple and pure promise.

The ring was originally her mother's engagement ring from her father which only made the ring that much more valuable to Kagome. Hojo had immediately run to her house after hearing the announcement, bursting through the front door. He had pulled her him, caging her in his arms.

"Marry me." He whispered into her hair. Kagome stood frozen before the tears began anew.

"I can't chain you to me when there is no guarantee that I will return. I'm sor-" Before she could finish her lips were sealed by Hojo's.

"Marry me."

"Hojo, I ca-" Once again her protests were cut short.

"Kagome, I am not asking." Hojo's voice was desperate but it held a firmness that told Kagome he had his mind set.

"Well when you put it that way… I guess I don't have a choice." Hojo felt a great rush of happiness at her acceptance and butterflies were a flutter in his stomach when she directed her smile at him; the same smile that had first drawn him to her and eventually led to him falling in love.

There was no fancy dinner, he didn't get down onto one knee, and he didn't even have a ring but to Kagome, it was perfect. It was what she needed. It was his promise that he would wait for her and her promise that she would return to him.

Later, Kagome's mother brought Hojo the ring Kagome's father had used when proposing to her. She wanted to share it with her daughter so that Kagome would always have a part of her and her father with her when she faced the challenges ahead of her.

The sounds of sirens broke Kagome from her revere. An armored SUV pulled up in front of the police station accompanied by three escort cars. Soldiers wearing tactical gear secured the perimeter of the station before the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs stepped out of the armored vehicle and made their way inside. The Minister of Defense was a portly elder man whose brow held a permanent scowl. When he entered the building, he looked upon Kagome's family, who had risen to greet the two men, with superiority and distain. The Minister of Foreign Affairs on the other hand looked to be exceedingly professional; wearing a neat suit and a small polite smile upon his face.

"You must be Kagome," The Minister of Foreign Affairs said as he nodded politely at her, "It is a pleasure to meet you, I only wish it had been under more favorable circumstances."

"Thank you," Kagome bowed in return, "believe me when I say the feeling is mutual."

"Please accept my condolences."

"Don't know what the fuss is," The Minister of Defense mumbled brusquely, "What I wouldn't give to test my mettle against some of those alien creatures. If I was ten years younger…"

The Minister of Foreign Affairs grit his teeth in vexation and tersely said, "Truly, it is indeed a loss." He then proceeded to greet the remainder of Kagome's family and Hojo, who wisely did not comment on the exchange. "I am here to escort Kagome to the airport, it is important that she reaches the United Nations headquarters in New York as soon as possible."

"Why is that?" Kagome's mother questioned, "She still had nine and a half days, why can she not spend them with her family?"

"Although some schools do train their students, there is confidential information which cannot be released to the public but will be integral to her survival. That material cannot leave the headquarters. Additionally, she will need to receive coaching from some of the listed who have returned."

"I see…"

Kagome turned and embraced her mother who had begun to tear up, "Hey now," Kagome's voice was soothing and held an air of reassurance that she did not feel herself, "I won't be gone that long. I still have to graduate and grandpa is getting a little old to be cleaning the shrine all by himself. Besides, I'm getting married; can't leave Hojo at the alter waiting too long." Kagome's mother nodded and put on a brave smile.

"I'll just draw up the bath so it's ready when you get home then."

"Thanks mom."

Sota glomped Kagome from behind, "Say safe, ok sis?"

"Of course," she smiled.

"I'm sure this is the work of demons! Kagome, take these sutras with you. They are very effective; I made them myself." Her grandfather said as he stuffed a handful into her jean's pocket.

"Grandpa, those don't even work." Sota sighed.

"Now see here young man, spiritual power has always had great power in the Higurashi line! Just one sutra is enough to purify the strongest demon."

"Father…" Kagome's mother began.

"She has been called forth for a great quest. It is her duty to uphold the family name and provide aid to those who ask."

"Thanks grandpa, I'll remember that." Kagome smiled indulgently. She turned to Hojo who had been politely waiting for her to finish with her family. He smiled halfheartedly at her and hugged her tightly.

"Please don't forget our promise."

"I'll be home before you notice." Kagome replied lightly, "I always did want a June wedding." Hojo's hold on her tightened.

"June it is." Giving her a chaste kiss, he allowed her to step away towards the two ministers. Seeing that she was finished with her farewells, the Minister of Defense gruffly turned and headed out the door to the waiting cars. The Minister of Foreign Affairs politely bowed to her family before turning to guide Kagome to the car beside him. As they were opening the doors to leave, Kagome turned one last time and smiled widely at her family.

"I'll see you guys soon."

The car ride to the airport was silent for the most part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was quietly informing someone in English that she had been successfully retrieved and that they would be making their way to America within the hour. After speaking for another few minutes, he ended the call and turned to Kagome.

"You look as though you have a few questions for us." He spoke calmly and expectantly.

"I do."

"Please, speak freely. We understand that you must be very scared and unsure right now. So much has happened in the last few hours, you must be in shock."

"Oh, it's not that," Kagome replied quickly, "I study international foreign relations and I know for certain that it is not protocol for a Minister, let alone two, to escort those who are listed. What is the reason for this change, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Ah, that." He replied with his eyebrows raised in surprised, "You certainly live up to expectations." Seeing her brow furrowed in confusion, he continued, "You are a top student at a top university. For the last fifteen years you have been a participant in the training programs that Japan has provided for its youth and have done very well in them."

"Don't beat around the bush with your fancy talk," The Minister of Defense tersely said as he looked at her through narrowed eyes, "The government is using you. Every month, the government talks about how successful the training programs are and that they will improve people's chance of survival. Yet, because the people selected aren't always participants in the programs or are from other countries, Japan has yet to have an opportunity to display the programs use in practical application. You are the chance we've been waiting for. We want you to return as soon as possible to show the program's success."

"As a student who has been in the program since its conception, you should have a greater chance of survival. That's not to mention how well you apparently do in the courses," The Minister of Foreign Affairs paused and mumbled to himself, "though you don't look like you can do half of the things that have been reported."

"That's why I have to be here, escorting you to the airport, instead of enjoying my grandson's birthday party."

"I apologize for any inconvenience I've caused you." Kagome snipped. The car was quite the rest of the way to the airport and only the Minister of Foreign Affairs guided her to the plane that was waiting to take her to America.

"Sorry, he's always like this when it involves his grandson or when he thinks he's been denied something." He said as they reached the steps leading into the plane, "In this case it's both. I believe he is frustrated that he can't do anything to stop the listings. It is his responsibility to keep the public safe and with the Arch, there is really nothing he can do but train civilians and reassure the public." Kagome smiled reassuringly.

"He is in a difficult position." She agreed before the smile dropped from her face altogether, "However, I would request that he not display such feelings of resentment and frustration at not being able to take action himself when in the presence of someone who is being forced to against their will."

The Minister felt his blood run cold. She is truly a girl of many surprises. When he had first read the bio on the girl her school had provided, he was astonished at her scores in not only academics but military arts as well. He was once again surprised when the girl he met was not a muscle covered giant of a girl, who the reports promised was secretly an amazon warrior of legend, but a gentle and petite beauty. Her hair was a glossy black that offset her eyes which were a surprising shade of electric blue; almost as if they glowed internally. Her stance, while polite and respectful, commanded attention and obedience; he had to fight his own body's instinct to submit to the girl. However, her presence also instilled a feeling of serenity. It was a confusing contradiction and he didn't know if he should be afraid or at peace.

"Kazuki, what's wrong? You're shaking." The Minister of Defense said as he watched his companion sitting beside him jump slightly in surprise. They were making their way back to their office after seeing the girl, Kagome Higurashi, off. The Minister of Foreign Affairs looked down at his hands and found that they were, indeed, trembling. He gripped them together as he forced himself to calm down.

"That girl is not what she seems at all. She's quite strong."

"Tch, I could have told you that when we first saw her." The Minister of Defense scoffed, "She's like a dog; kind and respectful to everyone she meets, but should you threaten that peace, she will destroy you without restraint."


	5. Chapter 5

The headquarters for the United Nations was certainly not what Kagome had been expecting. The original building had been destroyed during the attempt to bomb the Arch and had been rebuilt as more of a military compound than a center focused on world peace. Manhattan Island was nothing but a wasteland, a shell of its former glory. The skeletons of buildings and the remains of others stretched across the horizon, a true representation of the changes brought about by the Arch.

The United States had shut down the island shortly after the Arch appeared. It was a long and arduous process relocating the businesses and industries which called Manhattan home elsewhere. Though, even if they had not closed the island, people were reluctant to go anywhere near the once flourishing city. As the Arch is located on US soil, the Americans set up a military base on the island to monitor the Arch and a great wall was built around the island to prevent extremist groups and fanatics worshiping the Arch from entering the city. In addition to the military base, there was an international news station which kept constant surveillance of the Arch should someone return or something unexpected happen and the new United Nations building.

The UN had of course moved their headquarters elsewhere, but they built a building so that state leaders could meet there if needed and so that the listed would have a place to train and receive information before heading out. It wasn't a beautiful or stately looking building, but it got the job done.

Kagome couldn't help but frown at the blue sky above and how it contrasted so drastically with the landscape. The man at her right had a kind smile on his face as he guided her to where the Arch stood in Times Square. After disembarking from the plane, the last thing Kagome expected to happen was to be led to the Arch.

"I was told that there was additional training and information I would receive, not to mention there are several days until I am required to go through the Arch." She had questioned. He had simply said that it was all procedure and that they would be meeting up with a survivor who would explain to her on the way.

Kagome glanced at the man from the corner of her eye. He was tall and well built. There was confidence in his step which told her of his years of combat experience. The glint of sunlight off the hilt of his sword informed her that he was a frequent visitor of the Arch or he would not carry such an archaic weapon. Of course she had also trained with the sword, many of the training programs focused on weaponry that could be used in the other worlds.

"How long have you been stationed here?"

"Hmm? Well, I suppose it has been around five years now." He said as they walked over a fallen lamppost. "It hasn't been so bad, though working without technology around the Arch took a little time to get used to."

"You can use technology outside the fifty yard radius though."

"That limit isn't always accurate though, it can be rather fluid. Sometimes its twenty yards and other times its two hundred. It's only fifty yards when it's dormant."

"Why is that?"

The man shook his blond head back and forth, "Can't really say. The scientists think that it has something to do with where the person goes and the atmosphere of the new world. All I know is that the strangest survivors are also the ones who had the largest technology interference."

"We've been walking for a while."

"Noticed that did you," he frowned.

"We've walked way more than two hundred yards."

"Well, your interference has certainly been unique, in that it has a radius of over a mile and it keeps growing." He said with a forced laugh as he scratched the back of his head.

"That's rather ominous." Kagome exhaled blowing her bangs from out of her eyes. The two continued on until they saw a man with flaming red hair that seemed to defy gravity, spiking upward off his head and out of his face with the help of a long red cloth which had been tied around his forehead as a headband. He had a dark Persian complexion and was covered in golden jewelry. The golden cuffs, rings, armbands, earrings, necklaces, and a choker each had intricate carvings and drawings which appeared to be some sort of script. He wore a light red tunic and leggings that seemed to be worn down by the elements and frequent use. Attached to each side of his hip was a scimitar. They both had a leather grip and 24 inches of dangerously curved dangerously steel; a spindly hand resting upon the pommel of one. Yet his most striking feature was his eyes. They were a deep forest green with a vertical pupil giving them a cat like appearance; cunning and cautious.

She felt an electric pulse shoot through her palms and make its way down her spine and to her toes. A feeling of recognition seeped into her bones, as if she should know this man. She knew not why, for she had certainly never met him before, yet the familiar feeling remained. Seeing her tense, the red haired man narrowed his calculating eyes and his lips thinned. Though there was no foundation for her belief, Kagome knew that he had felt the same thrill.

"Good to see you again, Malak." The man beside Kagome called out good naturedly, interrupting her thoughts. Following his lead, Kagome smiled in greeting to the strange man who bowed his head in response.

"Lieutenant Polotski." His voice was a deep and held an accented timbre.

"This is Kagome Higurashi." He said gesturing to Kagome, "Kagome, this is Malak Amir. He will be your mentor for the next few days."

"It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise."

"What was that feeling?" Kagome asked and her blonde guide tilted his head in confusion.

"You are very sensitive." Was Malak's short reply.

"Excuse me?"

"I will explain it to you later. Come, it is better to do this part quickly. I do not particularly enjoy being around the Arch."

"Why is it that we are visiting the Arch so soon?" Kagome asked as she jogged slightly to keep up with Malak's long strides.

"We have found that although the pull to enter the arch is great for those who are listed, it is possible to touch the arch and have an idea of where it is you will go without having to enter the arch." He looked down at her as they made their way down the deserted street. "You should prepare yourself; the desire to enter is very strong. You might hear people whispering in your head, urging you."

"Did you?"

"Yes, I heard thousands of voices screaming in pain, praying for someone, anyone, to come to their aid." Kagome swallowed thickly. "You should also know that the pull has a direct coordination to the uh…" he looked at the lieutenant, "atmosphere… is stronger then there will be a greater pull. Apparently the place you are going is particularly strong, be on guard."

"Thanks for the warning."

"To be quite honest, I am surprised that nothing has happened yet, we are only a block away." Kagome simple shrugged her shoulders as if to say 'your guess is as good as mine.'

"What will I have to do to get it to show where I will go?"

"Just touch it." Seeing her step falter a bit, he added, "Don't worry, the lieutenant and I will be there to keep you from entering."

When the arch came into sight, Kagome felt the urge to run. The television truly did not do it justice. Its' black stone face stretched high above her, the markings changing color periodically. There in the center of the Arch was Kagome's name and face. There were twenty soldiers stationed around the Arch prepared for anything that may happen. It was with heavy steps that she continued forward towards the imposing structure.

Malak and the lieutenant kept glancing at her to see how she was doing. Surely she should have felt the pull by this point. Malak could feel the power dense in the air, it was suffocating. Yet, Kagome continued on as though she hadn't noticed. He felt his curiosity in the girl rise and stepped closer to her. The air seemed to thin out as if there was a barrier around her. _This is certainly unprecedented_.

Kagome was aware of the power though. She felt it, she feared it, but she stood her ground. Though from the looks that Malak, the lieutenant, and a few of the soldiers were giving her, she was clearly not affected as strongly as the others. She reached out her hand and only slightly brushed the rock with the tips of her fingers. She gasped as a jolt of power rushed through her and for a moment she felt eyes upon her, they were calculating, cold, amber eyes.

Stepping back from Arch she saw that the inside had changed to that of a lush countryside with towering mountains in the distance. There was an old well with creeping vines covering the sides. It all it seemed very peaceful and serene if not a little familiar. That is until you looked at the sky. There in the sky were Islands that seemed to be floating among the clouds, each with its own distinct geography; one appeared to be made entirely of ice and another had a lush jungle with a waterfall cascading over the side of the island.

"Hmm, well I guess it could have been worse." Kagome laughed hesitantly, "I mean at least there aren't any large bugs or anything." Almost as if her words had summoned it, a centipede as large as a house with the upper body of a woman crept past the well and vanished into the tree line. Slowly, all the heads which had been watching the creature turned toward Kagome who was smiling and laughing shakily with tears running down her cheeks. "Bugs. They have bugs. Well of course they have bugs, Kagome. Bugs are an important part of an environments biodiversity." She mumbled to herself before yelling, "But did they have to be that big! I mean come on! How big is everything else in that world?" Movement in the Arch brought their attention back to the image as a flock of … birds? … flew past. They were larger than the centipede and completely round. They had two short tallowed chicken feet and a massive wingspan. Most notable, however, was the upper bodies of blue people that were sticking out the top of the head. When all the beasts had flown from view, the people of earth once again looked at Kagome. "You know what? I'm just not going to say anything else, who knows what will appear next?" There was a great roar. "Malak, how do you turn this thing off?"

"That's what we've been trying to figure out the last fifteen years." He responded dryly as a blue dragon speed from the island of ice, blowing an arch of blue flames in the air as it did.

"Eheheh, right."

"Though the image will disperse back once you are far enough away." He said as he adjusted on of his golden gauntlets.

"What are we waiting for? Let's hop to it!" She cheered as she scurried away from the arch.

"She does realize that she will be living there in less than six days right?" the lieutenant asked Malak who simply snorted and followed after the fleeing girl.

When Kagome reached the area where she had first seen the arch, she turned and watched as the cloud began to overtake the Archway once again. She didn't know why she turned back, but she felt it again, those eyes. Staring into the portal she saw two amber glints before the image completely disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

"The most important thing that you should be aware of is that things exist in other worlds that don't here."

"Malak, after what I saw yesterday, believe me when I say I completely understand." Kagome said with a tick in her forehead. He sighed.

"That's true, but not really what I meant. Each world is different, obviously, but each world has one similarity: they each have some form of magic." He paused, a serious look in his eyes. For a moment he thought that Kagome understood the weight of what he was saying before she burst out laughing.

"That was a good one. But really Malak, magic?" She had an amused expression on her face that really pissed Malak off. He held up the palm of his hand and suddenly there was a surge of fire sparking towards the ceiling of the room they were in. Kagome fell out of her chair she was so surprised.

"What was that?"

"Sorcery." He said as he closed his fist, putting out the flame. "Or, at least that was what it was called in the world where I was sent. It's strange, of course I wasn't a sorcerer before I went to that world, but after some teaching there, it came to me as easy as breathing." He was now playing with a small flame, allowing it to weave between his fingers and wrist. "Some of the places people are sent can be quite extreme, conditions that humans cannot survive under. Yet, our body's change to match the place we go. Each place has some form of this magic; it is simply harnessed differently in each world. In some, the magic is an inherent power that the individual possesses and can use by channeling it into weapons, and in others you are required to say an incantation or spell to use."

"And your world?"

"Hmm, in mine we channeled our power. The magic there was elemental, each person possessing an element they could channel. Mine is, as you have seen fire. I would channel the fire into my two scimitars." His mind seemed to wander off into his memories.

"I was wondering, your clothes and jewelry…"

"Ah, yes, these are just what the people there wore. I don't feel comfortable without them on." He frowned. "Anyways, let's get back to you. As you know, the technology here is greatly affected by the gate. This is because magic and technology don't mix very well. The stronger the magic present in the other world, the greater the interference here. My world was heavily influenced by magic and used it frequently, yet the interference was only 175 meters. It is safe to assume that magic is a very large part of the world you will be going to… a very large part."

"There were floating islands." Kagome agreed. "This all just seems so strange. I thought I was just going to have to go in, kill someone, and get out."

"Well, I guess that is the main goal, but you really should figure out the deeper problem as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes the problem is deeper than one person. Often, when trying to defeat that individual, you heal the problem on the way. Yet, there have been a few instances where even after the leader has been killed the person sent was not allowed to return. It was only after securing the stability of the people being saved that they were sent back."

"Hmm. Ok." Kagome stood up, "Fight creepy bugs, save the day, return home! No sweat. I can do this." An amused smile stretched across Malak's face. "Oh! I was wondering, what was that tingly feeling I got when I met you?"

"Well, to be quite honest, we're not really quite sure." He said rubbing the back of his neck, "It only happens around people who have been listed. Sort of like a homing beacon so that we can recognize each other."

"Weird."

"Well now that all the serious, confidential stuff is out of the way, let's get training!" Kagome grimaced at the sadistic smile on her mentor's face. ' _I would rather fight the giant bugs,'_ she couldn't help but think.

Kagome groaned as she pulled on her black combat cargo pants and matching black tank top. Five days was not enough time to get used to Malak's level of training! Each day he would randomly attack her, even in her sleep, forcing her to be on her guard at all times. When they spared, she learned new meaning to the word pain, just how hard could that man hit? However, despite his pride with his swords, he couldn't beat her there. Kagome's favored weapon being the sword, it didn't matter which type; she could handle each with the easy of a seasoned warrior. It also didn't help that Malak's sword is best used on horseback, limiting him greatly in comparison to Kagome's flowing technique. Kagome filled her pockets and bag with things that may come in handy like rope, a pocket knife, a compass, a tarp, water bottle, first aid kit, spare cloths, emergency food, a sleeping bag, lighter, binoculars, sunscreen, and most importantly: bug spray. She shrugged on a thermal jacket and some hiking boots that she had been breaking in all week. Rolling her shoulders she went to greet Malak who would be walking her to the arch.

"Good to see you still awake." He greeted good naturedly.

"I don't think it was very wise to exhaust me with your constant need to fight the day I leave." Kagome said rolling her eyes.

"Haha. No I guess not. But you can sleep when you're dead."

"Those were not the words of confidence I was looking for believe it or not."

"They had wanted you to wear your school uniform you know." He said as he looked over her outfit which was definitely not the uniform.

"I'd like to see those old men fight those bugs in a skirt."

"It's for publicity; they are trying to reassure everyone."

"So I've been told, but if I don't make it back alive, then all that would really be for nothing. All week all the news has been saying is how much support the government is giving me and about the training program's success."

"In your case, I can't say that they are wrong. You are quite skilled."

"Thank you." Kagome beamed at him. Seriously, he thought with a light blush, this girl is too cute.

"We should go, the interference as reached the two mile radius mark. We will take the horses." Malak's excitement was palpable. "I haven't gotten to take one out in over a month. After spending eight years almost constantly on horseback, I find myself reluctant to travel any other way."

"Fine, but I get to ride with you. Horses have never liked me much."

As they made their way to the stables, Kagome found herself feeling rather lonely. Although Malak was almost always with her, she didn't see many other people. The UN building was deserted for the most part without there being any major meetings that required them to meet at the arch and the soldiers mostly kept close to the compound. There were a few staff members who kept things orderly, but no one to really interact with. She missed home and she was only heading farther from it with no return possible in the foreseeable future.

The Arch and its' power was always on her mind. She could feel it regardless of where she went in the compound and though it did not pull at her to enter the Arch, it seemed to hover around her as if it was reminding her of its power over her. Quite frankly, it pissed Kagome off. Always prodding at her and nudging her awake when Malak finally let her sleep. She was fed up with that stupid Arch's spiteful bulling. Just because it couldn't lure her into the portal, it saw fit to nag at her 24/7.

As she and Malak approached the Arch, there were no news crews waiting with their cameras. Instead there were journalists and artists there as the cameras couldn't work within the two mile radius. Dismounting from the horse she felt the Arch flare up again. She smirked; it was really pissed at her.

Malak couldn't understand the relationship this girl seemed to develop with the Arch. It seemed like they were rivals who kept trying to one up the other. It was rather petty if one ignored the fact that Kagome's life was on the line. The two seemed to enjoy pressing the other's buttons, which was quite strange seeing as one was just a rock that was transporting people. Kagome, though, seemed to think that it was sentient and could think. Malak just shrugged it off; if Kagome said that it was alive, then the stupid rock is probably alive.

Kagome marched up to the rock and slammed her hand hard against the Arch and felt the same flash of power and the feeling of someone's attention snapping toward her. Though, this time she also felt the Arch's annoyance and sadistic humor at her frustration. Kagome patted it a few more times for good measure, making sure that she hit it as hard as she could. The arches colors flared and changed rapidly at the attack on its person.

 _They are so childish_ , Malak thought, _Though the arch didn't seem this bothered when we dropped bombs on it._

Kagome smiled in satisfaction at upsetting the hulking rock. Malak had no idea where this confidence was coming from. The scenery changed to show the familiar well and landscape. _I'll give the crazy people who are messing with my world a piece of mind,_ were Kagome's last thoughts as she stepped through the arch. For a moment, she felt as though she were falling. There was a blend of colors swirling around her before everything stopped.

"Kami…" Kagome breathed.


	7. Chapter 7

This was not what the portal had shown her back in New York. She said as she tried to gather her barring. ' _Ok, Kagome, let's be calm about all this._ ' She thought as she paced. ' _Is there, or is there not a massive throne made of clocks over there?'_ Looking over her shoulder she nodded the affirmative, _'Is there, or is there not a Kami the size of a giant sitting in that throne?'_ Once again she glanced behind her and nodded the affirmative, ' _Finally, is there, or is there not a majorly pissed off expression on his face?'_ for the final time she looked back and nodded.

"Fuck."

She was standing on a golden platform that was marked with the different phases of the moon and had a hand indicating which the current moon was. The space beyond the platform was nonexistent, just an endless expanse filled with different looking clocks with different symbols. The only thing on the platform was a throne where a Kami with three heads and a snake like body sat waiting for her.

"How articulate Kagome Higurashi." His human head deadpanned at her, the bull and lion head arguing with each other. Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, for some reason he seemed very familiar to her. "How strange that you would appear here… at my feet and mercy." His eyes glinted with promised pain. Kagome decided right then that, god or not, she did not like him.

"You know my name?"

"Of course, I am the personification of Time and Space, Khronos."

"Fascinating." She drawled sarcastically. It was his turn to narrow his eyes at her.

"You have been a perpetual thorn in my side for a while and as you seem to be immune to time, I've had to take quite drastic measures to fix things. Though, you coming here was certainly not a part of my plan. Just goes to show how much trouble you bring to me. There's no telling what kind of effect this will have in that world… especially in that world." Kagome sat cross legged and leaned forward feigning interest.

"Please tell me more, oh great and aged one, I'm simply enthralled."

"Tch, ungrateful child. Like I said your immunity to time must have brought you here to me, the god of time instead of your intended destination."

"Which you know of because…"

"Because I am the god of time!" he yelled losing his temper. Kagome smirked at him. She really did not know what was leading her to act like a petulant brat but there was something about this guy that was setting her off. His presence was a nagging oppressive power. "Your world, one of constant warfare and with a history of blood was the best choice the gods had when deciding who to send to the other worlds to save them. Humanity's quick adaptability allows for you to acclimate yourself to any climate, with some help, of course." That got Kagome's attention.

"You were a part of this whole savior business?" Khronos, seeing that he had finally attained her full attention, raised an eyebrow and simpered at her.

"Ohhoho!" He said with a hand to his mouth, "Look who finally decided to acknowledge her betters. I'll be generous and give you three hints to completing your mission. First: Don't discredit something based on appearance. Second: stay as inconspicuous as possible. Third, and most important: Do NOT incite a dog's curiosity." A scythe materialized in his hand and he gave her a look of smug satisfaction, "Due to your time immunity, I suppose I'll just have to send you there the hard way. Let's just hope that after I rupture all your particles and send them flying faster than the speed of light toward the chosen world, I am kind enough to put them back together." His scythe slammed against the ground with a crack, disturbing his bull and lion heads. Kagome felt blinding and unparalleled pain rip through her beginning at her feet, as she was ripped apart. Yet now that so much of his power had been unleashed, she was quick to remember where she had felt it.

"You fucking lump of rock! Just wait till I-"

"She always has been a pain." The human head said to the other two, watching as Kagome exploded in different directions. They tilted their heads in confusion. "Not that you two haven't been a pain as well. Definitely not a perk of never aging. I can't believe she called me a lump of rock, can you? I personally thought that archway was rather creative of me." Once again the bull and lion tilted their heads in confusion. "She was so sweet when she was a child too. Such a shame…"

Kagome could only feel pain. Time seemed to halt while at the same time move inexplicably fast. She felt as though she was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. _'Must be a side effect of this form of transportation'_ , she mussed. She landed with a jarring thud, face first in a nest filled with black three eyed birds. She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes as she looked at the startled birds. She wiggled her toes and her fingers, then she sat up and began checking her body over of any missing bits and pieces. She definitely didn't trust that senile god to put her back together correctly. After ensuring that she was, in fact, in one piece she looked around at her surroundings. Floating islands: check. Strange oversized creatures: check. Angry mother bird returning to her nest: check. Weapons to defend against said bird: not check! _Where did all my weapons go?_ Kagome panicked before realizing, _Khronos_.

Looking over the side of the nest, Kagome found herself gazing down the side of a cliff with a river far below. _Definitely won't survive that._ She fumbled around her pockets trying to figure out what was in them through the fabric; small first aid kit, lighter, compass, and a pocket knife. Kagome, did not want to hurt the strange bird, she was the one intruding upon its' nest. She also seriously doubted that the pocket knife would do much damage against the colossal bird. Thinking quickly, Kagome decided to wing it; literally.

When the bird flew towards her, talons outstretched to attack, Kagome rolled away to avoid being hurt before quickly grabbing hold of the bird's feet. Startled the bird flew up, away from the nest. It soared up the cliff face before eventually reaching the top. Kagome released her hold and rolled away from the edge before dashing toward the tree line and away from the bird that was circling around. She heard the bird screech loudly, the sound echoing off the canyon walls. It was soon answered by more than a dozen other birds.

 _This is definitely not a good sign!_ Kagome mentally screamed as she sprinted away. The trees were quite sparse providing little cover from the amassing flock of birds. _If only I had my swords! A bow! Anything really!_

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, woman!" A voice yelled at her from ahead. It was a boy dressed all in red with shocking silver hair and familiar amber eyes. She immediately changed direction toward the voice, at least it spoke Japanese. "Only an idiot would bother those yokai!"

"Sorry, had no choice!" She called back, "Do you have a weapon or something?"

"Keh, I aint helpin ya." He said as he turned his back. Kagome's eyes zeroed in on what was swinging at his side. He has a sword! She sped up and, quicker than the boy could see, disarmed him before turning back to the approaching enemy. She looked down at the katana quickly analyzing it. _The blade is koshi-shori as it had a greater curve to it which will give it greater cutting fluidity and the size is short enough to allow for an advantage in speed while long enough to thrust. The downside, it is chipped and falling apart!_

"What is the point in having a sword if it will break with the slightest of taps?" she cried as she turned to the boy whose sword she had… borrowed.

"Hey! Who said you could take that! It's mine!" He said as he snatched the sword back, "And it's not a bad sword, you just can't use it 'cause you're human!"

"Sure," Kagome said rolling her eyes, "Because you aren't human either!"

"I'm not you idiot! I'm a half yokai!"

"Eh?" Kagome looked closer and saw two fluffy ears twitch on top of his silver head. Her eyes bulged and she quickly clenched her hands together to prevent herself from rubbing them. He raised a confused eyebrow at her action and one ear twitched. Kagome almost wined she wanted to pet them that badly.

"Keh, guess I'll have to save you anyway now that you led the birds back here." He grumbled, "Can't have them getting to the village." Getting into a defensive stance he drew the katana from the sheath.

"Wah!" Kagome exclaimed pointing at the sword which had transformed into what looked like a gigantic fang, "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Keh, just step back and stay out of the way woman."

"You're going to fight all them on your own?" Kagome asked curiosity.

"Just watch!" he yelled before raising the sword and bringing it down in one arch. The ground and air ripped apart as his attack swept forward decimating the enemy who quickly retreated back to their nests. Kagome stood stock still with her mouth gapping. Her mind had ceased to function.

"One slash… bye bye birdy… puppy? … big boom… rusted sword…" Her eyes were glazed and uncomprehending.

"Hey, you ok?" The boy asked waving a clawed hand in front of her face.

"Woosh… not in Kansas… woof…" The boy was getting nervous in the face of her mutterings and decided to take action; by knocking her upside the head with his sword. "OUCH!" Kagome cried as she crouched down and rubbed her head. "That really, really hurt!"

"Good, you're ok." He said as he sheathed his sword. Kagome followed his movement with her eyes and watched as the sword morphed back into the rusty katana when he sheathed it. _Don't discredit something based on appearance_. Kagome thought, rather annoyed that she had already failed with one of the hints.

The boy turned and walked back the way he came when he heard the birds' screeching. He made it fifty feet before stopping and looking behind him to find the strangely dressed girl following him. He didn't like her following him, she was weird, her eyes were weird, and her speed was weird. He growled at her and made shooing motions with his hands, "Shoo! Shoo! Go back where you came from, woman."

"I can't." She replied, her voice was smooth and had a lit to it. "I don't know how to get back."

"Well don't follow me." He said as he turned back around. After another fifty feet he turned back around, "I said don't follow me!"

"Oh, but I'm not. Were just going the same way." she said with her eyes wide in innocence.

"Keh." He continued on his way, sure that the girl was following him.

"Say, what's your name?"

"What's it matter to you?" he glared over his shoulder. She had taken off that strange cover on her shoulders and tied it around her waist, exposing the small shirt beneath. He could see her whole arms and the top of her chest! The fabric seemed to mold to her form! _How scandalous_ , he thought to himself, _I've never met a woman of her profession before._ Blushing he faced forward and marched a little faster.

"Well as long as we are walking the same way, we might as well get to know each other." She replied cheerfully, "I'll start, my name is Kagome."

"Keh, Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha, that's a nice name." she said conversationally, "Where are you from?"

"None of yer business, woman."

"Ok…" Silence descended upon the pair as they continued along. "Can you explain how your sword transformed? I've never seen a sword do something like that."

"I don't know, only a yokai with the intention to protect humanity can use the blade."

"So there aren't any other swords like that?"

"No, it is a one of a kind made from my father's fang."

"His fang?" Kagome asked surprised, "How can you make a sword with a fang?"

"Look, I don't know, woman! Totosai made the sword and dad left it to me when he died!"

"Sorry." Once again there was a pause in conversation. "Hey, Inuyasha?"

"What now?"

"What are yokai?" Inuyasha almost face planted, "I mean, I know what they are but not _what_ they are."

"That's just confusing."

"Umm, like, do they have special powers? Where do the powers come from? Do humans have powers too?" Inuyasha stopped and turned to stare at her with narrowed eyes.

"Where did you say you were from again?"

"Umm, I didn't?" she replied hesitantly. "I've just never really been out much; this is kind of all a first for me."

"Well that would explain why you were dumb enough to excite a flock of yokai into a feeding frenzy."

"Hey, that could not be helped. I was placed in that situation against my will." Kagome huffed. "I am perfectly capable of defending myself should the need arise and I be given a proper weapon."

"A proper weapon? Are you saying my Tessaiga isn't proper?"

"No, I just don't understand how it works. How does a fang make a weapon that powerful?"

"Because of the yokai in it, stupid! All yokai have inherent power that is their own, they use it to either make weapons to channel their power or, if they are really powerful, they can use it in a more pure form."

"Pure form?"

"Yea, they can materialize the power into a shape or weapon."

"Can you do this?"

"No I'm just a half yokai." He seemed to be disturbed by this so Kagome caught up to him and gave him a pat on the head and a light scratch behind his right ear. _They are as soft as they look!_

"Well you took care of those yokai easily enough, you must be very strong!"

"Keh." He said as he batted away her hand, blushing.

"So do humans have power too?" she asked while batting her eyelashes.

"Hmm, some do but they are very few."

"Do you know one with power?"

"Yea, but they don't really like to be around us yokai much."

"Why is that?"

"Their power is specifically meant to hurt yokai. To kill us." He said has he watched her reaction closely. He could easily believe that she was rather naïve about the world from her questions and was curious how she would react to this information.

"Because they think you are evil?" he nodded his head, "Are you?"

"W-what?"

"Are you evil?" her blue eyes flashed and Inuyasha couldn't look away as he found himself honestly answering, his ears flattened to his head.

"No." She smiled brightly at him.

"Then they are in the wrong." She skipped a little ways ahead of him before turning to smile back at him again. "Hey Inuyasha, where are we going again?" he sighed, _so she admits she was following me._

"There is a human village ahead; I'll bring you that far."

"Can I get a weapon there?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Can you use a weapon?"

"Yes." She said crossing her arms stubbornly. He sighed defeated.

"Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to have some form of defense."

"Woohoo! Let's go!" Somehow, Inuyasha had the distinct feeling she would bring a lot of problems and would be sticking around for a while. "By the way, why are there floating islands in the sky?" she asked pointing to the islands. This time, Inuyasha did face plant.


	8. Chapter 8

"Inuyasha, I swear that I'm not a suspicious person!" Kagome called as she ran behind her new friend.

"Oh sure!" he scoffed over his shoulder, "There's no way you aren't suspicious if you don't know about the Fracture! It doesn't matter how sheltered you were in your brothel! You would have noticed the earth breaking into pieces!"

"Wait! So were on an island right now too?"

"Tch, that's what I mean! You're suspicious." He increased his speed further.

"Wait! You think I'm a prostitute?" she cried as she matched his pace. Inuyasha blushed and looked away from her.

"Well, when you're walking around with your chest all exposed like that, what do you expect me to think?"

"Not that I'm a prostitute! And I'm wearing this so that I have more freedom of movement!"

"Then why don't you know about the fracture? Why don't you know about demons? Why were you being chased by a flock of demon birds?"

"Well… I don't know! And it's not like I meant to land in their nest, it just happened."

"And the fact that you can keep up with me?" Inuyasha asked as his eyes narrowed.

"Why wouldn't I be able to do that? You're not running that fast." She tilted her head in confusion.

"I'M A HALF DEMON!" he yelled, gesturing to his twitching ears, "Humans aren't physically capable of attaining these speeds!"

"Oh." Kagome looked to the landscape passing by, only then noticing that she was in fact running faster than she was capable. Though it was strange, she felt like she was only lightly jogging. She looked down to her feet and was mesmerized by the long strides and the earth which flew past at an unnatural rate. More aware of her surroundings now that she wasn't running for her life she noticed the lightness of her body and her blood seemed to burn in her veins. Though she couldn't explain why, she felt a latent energy seeping into her; filling her. The power, although suppressed, seemed to churn and boil with the desire to be used and manipulated.

"Tch, I'll take you to the old bag, she might have a better idea of what's going on."

"Ok!" Kagome said brightly.

"Just shut up and don't fall behind." Inuyasha said slightly defeated by her cheer. He just couldn't understand the girl. She dressed strangely, asked weird questions, and her aura; it was suffocating. He had met many creatures during his travels, but never had he encountered someone so oblivious to the power they exuded. His father had deeply ingrained the knowledge that the more powerful the aura, the more powerful the individual. He had only ever come across such a strong aura a few times. Thus, despite her supposed ignorance of demons and the energy which flowed through life and gave beings their power, he remained cautions of her and the vast raw power that waited for her call.

As they ran, the scenery gradually changed from forest to rolling hills and open paddy fields. There were some local villagers out tending to the crops, their pants pulled up with ties to stay dry. The houses were thatched and rather simple looking with stones used to keep the roofs from blowing away. Absently, Kagome noticed a familiar old well partly hidden by a thicket of trees. _That must be where I was supposed to have been transported._

The villagers seemed weary of Inuyasha and Kagome even noticed a few mother push their children into nearby huts as they passed by. Though Inuyasha made no comment, his ears flattened against his head, as if they were trying to disappear from sight. This made Kagome frown, he had told her that humans did not care for demons, but he had helped her without expecting anything in return and answered her questions despite how strange as they were to him. She held her head high and nudged Inuyasha with her elbow, telling him with her eyes that he had nothing to be ashamed of. He didn't say anything, but there was a small smile on his face and his ears twitched back into sight.

It was when they were just about to enter the village when Kagome suddenly felt a sensation of familiarity overcome her body, the same electric pulses flowing through her body as when she had first met Malak. There was someone from earth close by. _'But that should be impossible,'_ she thought, _'unless…'_

Inuyasha was surprised when she suddenly stopped running beside him, her eyes filled with confusion even as her eyes sparked unnaturally. He was once again surprised when she shot off at a speed he could never hope to match, heading toward the heart of town. Cursing, he followed after her.

She scarcely noticed the stout old woman wearing an eye patch over her right eye attempting to block her entry into the small hunt as she strode past into the small space. There sitting on a mat was a young woman, possibly a few years Kagome's senior. Most shocking, however, was the uncanny resemblance the two shared; it was as if they were looking into a mirror. Though, as they continued to examine each other, the differences became more obvious. The young woman seated on the ground took in Kagome's lush black hair which fought rebelliously with her straining hairband. Kagome's face also appeared longer and her cheekbones were more defined. Though, most obvious were the blue eyes which held her own. They were alight with curiosity and flashing with adrenaline. Like Inuyasha, she noticed the strange clothes the girl was wearing, though they held a completely different meaning to her than they did Inuyasha.

Kagome, in turn, observed her counterpart who had long straight hair which reached her knees and was pulled back by a white ribbon. Her eyes were a shade of dark brown which seemed to warn off others from approaching her, a permanent frown resting upon her brow. She was garbed in the cloths of a miko, familiar to Kagome from the many festivals they had held at the shrine back home. However, the most glaring difference was the conspicuous bulge in the woman's stomach indicating she was quite far along in her pregnancy.

The old woman watched the two, choosing to remain silent when she realized that Kagome meant them no harm. It was only when Inuyasha barged into the hut moments later that Kagome spoke.

"How is this possible? Never have two people been sent to the same place."

"What's she talking about, Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked as he glanced between the two similar looking women. "Do you know her?"

"No, I can't say I'm familiar with her or what she is speaking of." The woman, Kikyo, spoke softly, her gaze never leaving that of Kagome's.

"You know very well what I'm talking about." Kagome said with her eyes narrowing with challenge, "It is quite difficult to forget the Arch, Earth, our home."

"I apologize, but you must be mistaken, I have suffered from amnesia for several years now and do not remember anything of my life from before then." Kagome's eyes widened.

"You must have felt that sensation though!" she persisted, "It helps us recognize each other."

"Ah, that I can answer for ye. I am called, Kaede, child." The old woman said as she stepped into the room and sat down beside Kikyo. Patting the rug beside her, she asked Kagome to sit so she could better explain. Inuyasha remained by the door, his eyes keeping close watch of the surroundings. "Kikyo, no longer possesses the ability to sense the energy field. Before we continue though, I would ask that ye reign in your aura, it is quite distracting."

"My what?" Kagome tilted her head confused.

"Ye aura, child."

"I'm afraid that I'm not quite familiar with the term. Or at least in the context you used. I don't have an aura."

"Hey, old lady," Inuyasha spoke from the entryway, "When I met her, she was asking a lot of questions about demons and she didn't know about the Fracture. I do not think that she knows anything about the world's energy or her own power."

"Oh dear, that is definitely not good. An untrained miko is a danger to herself and those around her; particularly one of her power." Kaede said turning to the young girl, "I will have to teach ye quickly. It would not do to be tracked by demons at the moment." Kikyo sat up straighter and placed a hand protectively over her stomach.

"Um, I'm still confused." Kagome said with furrowed eye brows. "About everything…"

"We'll make it quick then." She said with a wave of her hand, "As ye must know, all living things require energy to survive. We get our energy from the food we consume and they get their energy from the earth and sun. Thus, when any living thing dies, their energy is returned to the earth from whence in came. This creates a cycle of ever-flowing energy. However, just as there are some animals better suited to hunt than others, some beings are able to tap into the energy flowing through the world. The humans capable of this feat are known as miko or monks. The beasts which can use the energy are known as yokai, or demons. The more powerful are even able to take on human forms, but do not forget that they remain animals and have heightened senses that humans cannot even begin to comprehend. Some are beautiful and others are grotesque, all are dangerous."

Kagome frowned and looked at Inuyasha. She did not think that he was dangerous. As if sensing her eyes upon him he turned and spoke.

"Even though I'm a half, that doesn't make me any less dangerous. You should be cautions of me and my kind."

"What do you mean, your kind?"

"Dog demons, Kagome. Though there are few of us, we are all quite dangerous."

'So I've heard,' Kagome though as she recalled Khronos' warnings about dog demons.

"Yes, the inu yokai are certainly one of the more powerful demon races. And lineage certainly goes a long way in determining the strength of a demon." Kaede said, watching Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye. He returned to keeping watch. "As I was saying, demons are incredibly powerful, but the miko and monks are able to fight with them by channeling their powers into weapons. We call this energy holy as it is the opposite of a yokai's demonic power. Any questions so far?"

"Could you tell me about the auras you mentioned before?"

"Ah, yes, well the aura is a representation of the power a being possesses. An expression of the individual who wields it I suppose. I will show ye." Kaede slowly relaxed her shoulders, and Kagome suddenly felt the older woman's presence keenly. It was wizened from the many trials she had faced and yet it retained a playful nature true to Kaede's more youthful days. Although there was force in the aura, it was more of an annoying nudge to Kagome. Kaede, seeing that Kagome was more amused by her aura than intimidated, increased the strength. However, the reaction she got was far from the one that she had expected. The vast aura that hung about Kagome suddenly expanded exponentially in retaliation to the force Kaede had tried to use to overpower her.

Unlike Kaede's aura, Kagome's was as expansive as the sky overhead. There was no single feeling one could associate with her aura; it was timeless. Each moment they spent surrounded by it, they were assaulted with a new feeling; one moment they felt the heart wrenching sorrow of losing a loved one and the next a euphoric stolen moment between lovers. It was humbling, it was terrifying. They were so caught up in the onslaught that they were completely oblivious to what was happening to Kagome. When they came out of their trance, they found that Kagome's eyes were no longer the bright blue, but a flashing electric blue which shown unnaturally in the dimly lit hut. Before they knew it she was bolting out the door and into the sunlight.

Kagome, on the other hand, experienced something quite different from the others when her aura reacted, changing from passive to active; it expanded her senses. The feeling of adrenaline she had felt when running with Inuyasha returned. She felt stretched while, at the same time, so caged; she was dying to release the energy building in her body, but as she did not know the consequences for doing so, she kept it under tight control. Instead she calmed herself and explored her new found abilities.

The first sense to come under control was her hearing. She cried out at the sudden rush of sounds that bombarded her; she was sure she would lose her mind they were so loud. Clutching the sides of her head she tried to shield her ears. She focused on blocking out the unwanted sounds and dimming the others to a more manageable level, and after a moment the sound gradually receded.

The second was her taste. Although she wasn't eating anything, she decided it wouldn't hurt to rinse her mouth with water or anything; the mint from her toothpaste last night was burning her tongue and making her eyes water. Repeating the process, she allowed her tastes to return to more comfortable levels.

Third was her nose. To be honest, she really wouldn't have minded missing out on this one. The putrid smells that assailed her had her gasping for breath and biting her cheek to keep from dry heaving. It was incredible what could bring a person to their knees. She took harsh, shuddering breath and pressed her head to the cool earth under her as the new sense came under control.

Opening her eyes she looked at the petrified face of Kaede, who was seated beside her, and jumped back in shock. Every wrinkle and blemish could be seen as if under a microscope. She looked out the door to the sunlit world and felt a rush of vertigo come over her. It was as if she was looking through a telescope while running. Her vision was narrowed to one specific zoomed in point which would change with the slightest movement on her part. Groaning, she closed her eyes and waited for the feeling to pass. When she reopened them, nothing had changed and the headache was quickly returning. This time she unfocused her eyes and waited until her vision receded back to normal levels.

Her hand brushed the ground as she adjusted herself and jumped as she not only felt the dirt move as if in slow motion under her hand but the air too. It flowed and danced between her fingers when she made the slightest movement. Every movement across her skin was felt by her over-sensitivity. Her hair tickled her face and she reached up to brush it away and was entranced when she felt her fingers trail across her forehead. It was particularly strange to feel your own face as if it was the first time. Unsurprisingly, she felt the dirt she had picked up while running and there was a smoother layer of sweat at her hairline. This sensation, too, went dormant after some concentration on her part.

It was with great shock that a sudden additional awareness came to her. Her heart raced and she lifted a hand to where she knew something was passing by. Quickly focusing her eyes, she saw it; the energy of the world. It was incredible. The world was filled with wisps of energy every shade of color imaginable as they twisted and danced together like silk scarves in the wind. They flowed, shifted, and joined together; unrestricted and free. The world was filled with vibrancy and life unlike any she had known.

Curious, she allowed her other senses to expand and was awed. She could hear the whispers of energy mingling and feel as they flowed through her. She rushed outside and began giggling at how incredible the world around her was. She could see the immense energy surrounding the various islands, supporting their suspension in the air. The wind sang softly as it rustled the leaves in the trees and wove its' way through the grass. She felt the energy spreading through the soil and into the paddy fields to breathe life into the crops the villagers were tending.

She spun while spreading her arms wide, laughing as the different colored energies merged and spun with her. The grass underfoot lit with each step she took and the air around her was clearer; purer. She stopped when she saw the other exit the hut. Turning to them she smiled with joy.

"You were right, Kaede, the energy of this world is incredible." Though the wording seemed strange to them, they were too preoccupied with the unnatural air that surrounded her. The wind was spiraling around her in a small tornado, her hair wiping about in the breeze and the grass around her seemed to be greener, more full of life. Though, most conspicuous of all was the way she seemed to glow. Her eyes, body, and aura all were alight with energy.

Kaede was speechless. The energy collected and swarmed around her, waiting for her to call upon them like a servant to their master. Gathering her wits about her she stepped forward.

"Child, ye must stop!" Kagome frowned, not wishing to end her fun. "Ye power will call forth demons to this village. Please stop this at once!"

"I apologize, Kaede, but I do not know how to dispel my aura."

"Ye do not need to dispel it, simply pull it inward."

Kagome frowned in concentration and tried to replicate what she had done with her senses. However, her aura was vast and proved to be quite difficult to reign in. The energy that had gathered around her were upset at her struggle and wished to aid her. Gathering together they wrapped around her upper left arm to form a golden cuff that wound its' way around her arm. Instinctively understanding what they were doing, she guided her aura into the band which glowed intensely before returning to its' golden state. The band hummed with power but Kagome herself appeared to be harmless and without power.

After examining the band, she smiled at energy still gathered around her, which seemed almost bashful, and thanked them before losing consciousness.

When Kagome next awoke she found only Kikyo with her. Looking around, she saw that they had brought her back into Kaede's hut. A grumble from her stomach alerted the other to her awakening.

"Here," Kikyo said as she placed a bowl of rice paired with fish before her, "eat, you have been resting for quite some time. Two days I believe."

"Thank you, Kikyo." She ate silently as she regarded the other girl. When finished, Kikyo removed the dishes to a pile Kagome assumed was from the others dinner. "Do you truly not remember anything from before? Where you are from? How you came to be here?"

"I do not."

"And you did not have any feeling of electricity coursing through you when we met?"

"No."

"I see." Though, she was still disturbed. She did not think that Malak would lie to her and there was no other reason for her to get that feeling around Kikyo. It did not make any sense. "Are you also an energy user?"

"A miko? I was."

"You are not anymore?"

"A miko's power is based on the purity of their soul. As you can see, I have consorted with a male as I am now with child. Therefore, I lost most my powers. Now, I can only sense those who are powerful."

Kagome raised a brow in surprise. That could not possibly be the reason she lost her powers, for Kagome was certainly not a virgin. Nope. She had popped that cherry with Hojo half a year after they began dating. If Kikyo was right then she shouldn't be able to access the energy here.

"Who is the father," Kagome asked, changing the subject. "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"Not at all. The father is Inuyasha."

"Wah!" Kagome was glad that she was sitting down. "He's going to be a father? You're both so young! Are you two married?"

"He has demonic blood, even if he is only half."

"…" Kikyo sighed at the blank look she was receiving.

"He is over five hundred years old. And we are not married but mated."

"Five hundered! He's preying on younger women!" Kagome rose to her feet, "I will not let this go. Twenty years difference may have been OK back in the 1700's but five hundred is completely inappropriate." Kikyo pulled her back down, Kagome landing hard on her butt.

"It's not like that. Demons don't age like humans. Their connection with the energy cycles slows the aging down, but it also slowed their maturity as well. Not to mention, dogs age quite gracefully. He is approximately 29 in human years."

"Hmm. Alright then." She paused as her eyes once again fell upon Kikyo's growing womb. "You said he was your mate, what exactly does that mean?"

"He is part beast, they do not marry, but find mates."

"So… what, every spring he gets horny and-"

"NO!" Kikyo cut in quickly, "That's not it at all! Demons only have one mate who they stay with for life and they don't settle for anything less than their promised mate."

"Bullshit." Kagome sighed, "That's probably what they tell you but look at the situation objectively here. You are saying that there are two people destined to be together in the entire world. Do you know the odds of actually finding that one person?"

"It does seem highly unlikely but-"

"And what if one of them dies? Will the other never be mated and live alone for life?" Kagome cut in as she got more fired up.

"Well-"

"Then you have situations like Inuyasha, his dad knocked up a human! Were they mated too?"

"Enough!" Kikyo said sternly, effectively silencing the chattering girl. "To begin, demons are able to find their mates quite easily. Their heightened senses allow them to know the instant their mate is born. Their auras will call to each other.

"Next, if one were to die, which is unlikely because even weak demons are quite strong, they would indeed live alone. As I said, they will never settle for less.

"Finally, Inuyasha is a special case. His mother and father were not mates."

"But you said-"

"Kagome." Kikyo's voice held a hint of warning and Kagome instantly quieted. "Inuyasha is a bastard child born from a concubine of his father. As I have stated before, demon only mate once. However, there are instances where a human is taken but those situations are very rare and only occur when the woman in question has considerable power. This is due in part to the jealousy a concubine would inspire in the mate and because humans with enough power to make it worth the trouble are few and far between."

"So Inuyasha's mother was quite powerful."

"Well, she was in a way. She was not made a concubine for her spiritual power but because she was a human princess. Her father traded her for protection; Inuyasha's father was the lord of the western lands and the strongest demon alive. Inuyasha was a mistake from the one time they were obligated to consummate the agreement."

"Wow."

"Indeed."

"You are mated to Inuyasha. How is that possible? Isn't there some cross breeding issues with that?"

"Obviously not." Kikyo said gesturing to her womb. "It is possible for a demon to mate a human, but there have been so few occurrences of this happening that it is not believed to be possible by many. Additionally, humans have far shorter lifespans and will die before their mates. The death of a mate is hard and will usually drive the one left behind insane."

"You said that mates feel drawn to each other. Did you also feel this with Inuyasha?"

"No, that is another reason that it is rare for a demon and human to mate. Humans, for some reason, cannot feel the pull, only their demon counterpart can. Thus when a demon comes for their mate, the human will usually not believe them, thinking it a trick." Kikyo considered Kagome for a moment before continuing. "You are very strong. The strongest human I have ever encountered by far. Your aura will have definitely attracted some of the stronger demons who wish for a concubine. You should learn control, until then never remove that band around your arm."

"I understand," Kagome said solemnly, "I will ask Kaede to teach me." Kikyo nodded and watched as the younger girl left the hut, thinking ' _She could be dangerous_.'

The training to control her power was not difficult in the slightest. It seemed only happy to comply with her will. Materializing orbs of energy; no problem. Turning the energy into weapons; cinch. Keeping her aura under wraps while doing all this; piece of cake with the help of the band. The kicker was that whenever she would channel her power into an object in would explode or shatter from the purity of the energy. No matter how little power she channeled, the moment it made contact with another weapon it was toast. It was neat what she could do with her arrows though. Since the object could retain the energy until it made contact with something, the arrows would explode the moment they reached the target and they flew faster with the added energy boost.

It was for this reason that Inuyasha decided to take her to meet the man who had made his own sword, Totosai. Totosai did not live on the island they were currently on and was curious how people traversed from island to island. Turns out, they took the boat.

Kagome still hadn't learned much about the even Kaede, Kikyo, and Inuyasha called the Fracture; they seemed quite tightlipped about the whole thing. They would say that it was in the past, and she should not concern herself with such dark things. So Kagome learned not to ask directly.

The earth had apparently once been whole with oceans dividing the different lands. Apparently, the energy of the earth was not as pronounced as it was currently and that the Fracture was what led to the increased levels. There are six islands including the one she had appeared on, and they seem to have been divided based upon their climate. Either that or they took on a similar climate as a result of the Fracture. There is an island for the desert, forest, mountains, jungle, arctic, and volcano. Totosai, Inuyasha had told her, lived in the volcanic region.

When they arrived at port and Kagome saw the floating boat in the air she laughed like a mad man.

"Haha. Seriously, Inuyasha, you don't expect me to get on that thing, do you?" His response was a deadpan look. "Now now now. Let's be reasonable here. That," she said pointing dramatically at the boat, "is not natural."

"Of course it's not. Now let's go."

"B-But-"

"Come on." He said as he dragged her aboard and took a seat. Kagome clung to the bench as if her life depended on it; to her it certainly did. "Why are you so nervous? You can see it can't you? The energy." He whispered quietly to her.

She could, in fact, see the energy keeping the boat in the air. During her training, they had quickly noticed Kagome's heightened senses. Her eyes in particular.

 _"Doesn't everyone have them?" She asked when they questioned her ability to track Inuyasha and keep his pace when training physically. "I only noticed them when your aura pressed against mine aggressively. Adjusting to them was quite painful though…"_

 _"Kagome, miko do not have these abilities. We are able to sense some of the energy and can feel some auras but beyond that we are humans."_

 _"You mean you can't see the energy?" Inuyasha and Kaede both glanced at each other,_

 _"Kagome, I have never heard of a being that can see energy. That should not even be possible."_

 _"But it's everywhere. There are two strands of energy trying to sooth away the pain in your feet as we speak." Kagome's eyes were dimmer than the day she awoke to the new senses, but they were unnaturally bright none the less. She had been keeping all her senses on alert to better train with them and her new abilities. It would take time to adjust to this new form of combat._

 _"It seems to me that ye have developed some demonic traits along with holy ones. That is the only answer I can come up with." Kaede concluded, "Though it is difficult to ascertain why that is."_

 _"I don't mind them, it was only difficult adjusting in the beginning."_

 _"Yes, child, but it is quite curious."_

"Yes I can see the energy; I would have to be blind not to see it. It's not the energy I don't trust but the person channeling it." The two looked to where a smiling purple garbed monk sat gripping his staff lightly, his hand covered and wrapped with holy beads. "He looks like a rogue that will swindle you for money."

Despite Kagome's reservations about the man, the trip was uneventful. There were only a few islands visible during the journey: the forest island (which they had just come from), the arctic island above, and the volcanic island below. Kagome was interested to find that although the oceans were gone, the energy wisps would try to recreate the feeling of water as they traveled. Instead of comforting the riders, making them think of water, the riders instead doubted the monk's ability to pilot the vessel.

When the boat made port, Kagome was unsurprised that they were the only passengers departing. Not many were willing to brave the lava covered volcanic rock which was in a constant state of eruption. What Kagome did not expect was the sudden surge of red wisps of energy to gather around her excitedly. Then, the moment her foot made contact with the heated ground all seven of the volcanoes erupted and the geysers released bursts of heated water.

"You certainly know how to make an entrance." Inuyasha muttered as he stepped off the boat. "Do try not to destroy the island."

"Idiot!" Kagome yelled as she trailed after him, smaller explosions shaking the land with each step.


	9. Chapter 9

A pair of amber eyes stared transfixed as the midnight hair slipped through his pale, claw tipped hands. The woman's face was relaxed as she slumbered beside him, strangely at ease despite his nature. He propped himself up on one arm so to get a better vantage point while he continued his silent exploration of her body. His fingers trailed along her soft, creamy skin while following the slope of her neck, brushing her collarbone, rounding the mounds of her breast, before continuing down her stomach to her waist where he began to make lazy circles with his thumb. Disliking the distance, he lay back down and pulled her on top of him. Senses, on fire he buried his nose in her hair at the base of her neck and inhaled deeply. It frustrated him that he was unable to place her scent, knowing only that it was intoxicating. Slowly, as he continued to breathe in her scent, he felt his body relax. His tongue then began to lap languidly at the underside of the girls jawbone.

Feeling her begin to stir, he paused in his ministrations and watched as she opened one disgruntled, glassy blue orb before looking down at him. They watched each other for a moment before she let out a great huff of air and collapsed back down, content in her decision to ignore him and return to sleep. A silver eyebrow arched at her disregard toward him and nipped her ear lightly in reprimand. Of course, this did earn him a "fierce" glare from the girl, though in his opinion, she resembled a petulant puppy.

He nipped her again.

With a roar she attacked him, going straight for the jugular. Amused at her antics, he humored her for a moment before restraining her against the bed; hovering over her immobile form. She huffed and blew a hair from where it rested in front of her eyes and looked over her shoulder at the demon above her.

"Good morning to you too." She grumbled, though her voice betrayed her enjoyment of his personal wake up.

"Hnn." He leaned in to take another sniff of her hair.

"Ugh, will you stop doing that? It tickles!" she giggled

"Hnn."

"I see, so you're ignoring me now."

"Hnn." He paused and couldn't help but smirk at her pouting face before leaning down for a searing kiss. Believing her to be sated, he began to pull away only to be shocked when, to his great surprise, she bit him!

Taking advantage of his shock, she rolled them so she was looking down upon him, his face trapped between her arms. Her tinkling laughter filled their room as she enjoyed his discomfort. Though, when she smiled lovingly at him, he felt his stomach fill with butterflies and a heat rush through his body.

"I love you, Sesshomaru." She said softly as her eyes warmed.

He pulled her down against him; his arms wrapped possessively aground her slim frame. "You are mine."

"Yes." She giggled, "And you're mine."

He hummed contently and clutched her closer. "My mate," he whispered reverently.

 _"My lord."_ A croaky voice called. Upset at the intrusion he turned to the great wooden door only to find the entryway empty. Confused and thinking that it was his imagination he returned to the beauty sprawled across him. _"My lord."_ Now he was sure he was not just hearing things.

The girl on his chest removed herself from his arms despite how tight his grip was; he felt as if he were trying to grasp smoke. She walked from his bed to the window before turning and waving. Not understanding, he moved to go to her and was frustrated when he body wouldn't obey his mind's commands. _"My lord Sesshomaru!"_ His eyes widened as the image of the woman and room slowly began to fade; the last thing he saw before the vision completely faded was her gentle loving smile.

Sesshomaru woke with a snarl and instinctively began to choke his retainer, Jaken, who was undoubtedly the one responsible for the voice in his dream. Still slightly disoriented, he assessed his situation. He was seated, leaning against a tree with the cool ground beneath him; there was no soft mattress to rest upon. The day was well underway, as the sun was high above his head; not the dimly lit room which seemed to cast seductive shadows across the walls. The air was crisp with the familiar scent of forest life; the intoxicating scent was nowhere to be found. The wind disturbed the trees which rustled presently; though it was not the bell like laughter he desired. He looked to his hands. They were empty where a woman, his mate, should have been resting. His mate…

Almost as if by thinking upon her, the dream slipped away from his memory. Already he was grasping for the last tendrils of her existence, yet his effort was wasted. All recollection of his dream vanished and he was left with a deep hollow feeling in his chest. The loss of memory was so painful he almost whimpered like a pup. Seeing Jaken in his grasp he raised an eyebrow in accusation. Jaken flailed wildly before Sesshomaru finally released him.

"My lord Sesshomaru, forgive this humble servant, but that terrible Rin has disappeared again! She tricked me into finding firewood while she wandered off. I do not know why you allow her to follow us around. It is this servants opinion that we leave her and allow her to live in the wild alone as she had so obviously chosen."

"Jaken."

"Yes, my lord."

"Go find Rin."

"Yes, my lord." He croaked as he quickly scampered in the direction the girl had left to. Sesshomaru was not terribly concerned over the wellbeing of the girl, Ah Un and followed after her, if their absence from the camp site is any indication. It was good to have at least one intelligent companion. He had left Rin in Jaken and Ah Un's care for the past few weeks while he searched for his mate, it was likely that Rin was in the nearby meadow collecting flowers to welcome him back. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the tree and tried to figure out why he felt so empty.

He would never tell a soul and if anyone suspected anything, he would slaughter them on the spot. Sesshomaru, the great lord of the western lands, was confused.

When he had first felt the pull on his energy days ago, he had immediately recognized it for what it was; his mate had been born. Though, he has never been known to show his emotions, a broad smile stretched across his face. The smile did inspire those nearby to run for their lives; he only smiles when planning someone's death.

His father had told him of his own mating call and how he had been driven to hunt his mate down. It had only taken his father half a day to locate his newborn mate at the time despite being a pup himself. After that moment the two were inseparable and deeply in love.

Sesshomaru did not care for the love his father spoke of but the strength of his mate. Both his parents had been great and he had surpassed his father when he claimed his sword Bakusaiga after a battle with the demon Mōryōmaru. Yet, despite being over 800 years old, he had not felt the presence of his mate. Sesshomaru figured this was because there was no being worthy enough to mate with him. So he forged on in life alone.

There were times when he felt the loss of a companion keenly; where he would go years without speaking a word to another living creature. It was in these moments he truly felt alone and distance from life. He didn't like to be alone, he is a dog after all and they tend to live in packs. No, he did not want to be completely surrounded by people, but he wouldn't mind someone to watch the world fall away with; someone who could understand him without the need of words and would support his endeavors. Though it could not compare, it was for this reason that he had taken in young Rin and allowed that annoying imp to serve him.

Although he did wish for companionship, he had no desire for the weakness love would bring. He has killed many in his lifetime and would continue to do so in the future. He had heard the cry of a deceased's mate numerous times and if they did not try to avenge their loved one, they would ask that he took their life as well; he never hesitated to fulfill their desire. Yes, love made them weak. His mate would be strong or he would reject the bond.

So when he first felt the pull, felt the incredible power she held, he grinned viciously. It was very impressive. He immediately set out in the direction he felt his mate's aura. Though she would be a newborn, as this was the first time he felt her so she must only now be coming into the world of the living, it would not hurt to introduce himself to her parents and ensure her protection.

It had not even been five minutes before he found the place his mate's power was radiating from as it was surprisingly close to his citadel. Yet it felt strange, as if she was there but at the same time, not. He approached the clearing with the well slowly, staying to the shadows, so that he could assess the situation. Though, when he examined the clearing he found it to be empty.

' _Something is not right here.'_ He could feel his mate's presence not twenty feet from him but it was warped, as if a veil was placed between them. His amber eyes flashed from a stray beam of sunlight and he felt his mate's surprise. _'Has she seen me?'_ But even as he though the words, her trace completely vanished.

' _What manner of magic is this?_ ' He stepped forth into the clearing and expanded all his senses, finding nothing. A putrid smell and the sound of sizzling brought his attention to the green acid dripping from his claws. Quickly, he halted the flow. He had not lost control since he was a pup. It was as he turned his back to the clearing that he clearly felt her loss. It was a glaring hole in his chest.

"It's really no wonder that father remained with mother all the time if this is what one feels when they are not with their mate." He mussed as his had clutched the fabric over his chest. Yet despite the emptiness he felt a salvage smile spread across his features. She was certainly proving to be interesting. His mind was whirling with different possibilities and people he would need to 'interrogate.' Though it was difficult to concentrate with the pain her lack of presence seemed to bring. He needed to run. He needed to dispel this feeling. A hunt was in order.

He was on the mountainous island when he next felt her presence. He had been attempting to release his stress from not having her with him by hunting some of the larger mountain cat demons. Childs play really, but it was keeping him distracted. He was about to strike the finishing blow on his opponent when her aura flared for a moment before disappearing. It did not last long and it was still veiled, but strangely, the burst had given him hope. He had begun to think that she had died and that was the reason he could no longer feel her. Though his mind told him this was not the case, for certainly he would know if she were to die, but the pain in his chest would not disappear.

It was with renewed vigor that he slaughtered the exhausted cat.

He had been cleaning his sword beside the corpse when her aura returned; this time there was no veil shrouding her. Realizing that this meant she was physically a part of the world, he quickly sheathed his sword and set out in the direction he had sensed her.

It was strange that her aura was flaring so much and that he only now felt that she was physically in the world. _Perhaps she is so powerful that she could be felt even before her birth. That would mean that the veil which previously prevented him from feeling her whole aura was her mother and the protection of being in her womb._ Though his inability to find her parents and the fact that the clearing where he first felt her was empty was certainly strange. Sesshomaru felt he was missing something big. Something that would change the whole equation.

He closed himself off from all distractions and focused only on her aura. This time, there being no cover over her, he could better sense where she was. Though, her energy signature still puzzled him. It gave him a vague feeling, as if it was trying to be generic to mask something greater. In the back of his mind he wondered if she felt a pull to him. Infant or not, her demonic nature would recognize him as her intended.

Unfortunately, the mountainous island was the farthest from the forest island which used to be known as the western lands. It would be a week before he reached her. Prior to the Fracturing of the world, he would have been able to easily make the journey in half the time. Now, though, there were no longer oceans between continents but open spaces. Traversing the expanse between islands was tedious and extremely difficult to do without channeling unless one possessed immense power. This was due to the fact that the different types of energy tend to collide violently in the open space making the ability to suppress the violent collisions necessary. Though, Sesshomaru did possess such strength, he required rest before each crossing.

He had been carefully monitoring his mate's aura while traveling and it was only an hour in when her aura expanded exponentially and became vivid in its individuality, causing him to actually trip. He let it wash over him, and briefly wondered if all mate pairs felt their counterpart so strongly, so personally, as if they were one being. He supposed it was because she was an infant and didn't know how to properly shield her mind that allowed him to feel her more intensely. Their connection was strong and he felt her struggle with her new found senses as infant demons always do. As she tried to calm herself, he helped her control her senses to manageable levels.

What he didn't expect was the additional ability to see and acutely feel the different energy waves in the world. Through her he saw the different colors swirling together and couldn't help but smile with her as she laughed in joy of the new abilities.

His amusement quickly ended when he felt her attention shift and their connection slowly fade. He blinked and found himself on the ground, his side smarting from his fall. Absently, he reached out to his mate only to find her aura had vanished completely. He jolted to his feet. _'No!_ ' he yelled in the confines of his mind, _"No! I just found her!"_ Yet, try as he might, he was unable to distinguish her location.

Immediately, he was on his feet and dashing across the desert island before taking flight. _Like hell am I letting her get away again!_


	10. Chapter 10

Sesshomaru entered the chambers where the new parents had secluded themselves. The panther demon quickly rose in defense of his family and hissed at the intruder. It was custom that families are sequestered with their newborn so that the child can imprint and create a strong bond with its parents. Sesshomaru's intrusion being a major violation of tradition, the family was well within their right to attack him.

When he continued to advance, they did just that. Though they were strong for demons, they were no match for Sesshomaru's overwhelming strength; particularly when they were concerned for their child who was in the room.

"Please, please don't harm my child!" the mother called out to him. Sesshomaru didn't even spare her a glance as he continued forward; the woman beginning to sob loudly.

Sesshomaru flexed his aura slightly and when the child's responded he found that, as he had suspected, this was not his mate. Though he couldn't bring himself to be disappointed, mating a cat would have been distasteful. He turned to leave,

"Cease your wretched wailing, woman. Your child shall not meet his end at my claws on this day."

Sesshomaru flew towards the woods in the distance after leaving the home of the panthers and couldn't help but snarl internally in frustration. His mate's aura was still hidden preventing him from locating her, he could only guess at where she could be. He began his search on his own island, the forest island, where he had first sensed her. He had Jaken gather all reports of demon births that had took place in the last few weeks before setting out to discern for himself which was his mate. Now though, his search having failed to reveal the whereabouts of his mate, he was forced to take a new direction; one he had not wished to take.

He would have to visit his brother.

As incompetent as his brother was, he should have been able to feel that large flux of power his mate had given off. However, he would have to be tricky about getting the information; Sesshomaru would die before he ever owed the half breed anything.

Inuyasha was nothing more than a stain on the great Inu line, a mistake that would have been rectified if not for the annoying humans and their treaty. His father could have easily wiped them out, but he found their politics amusing and decided to keep them close. They were his father's own personal ant farm and he loved to watch them struggle so hard and end up failing when a greater force destroyed their efforts. Well he was amused until the day his consort, Izayo's, childhood friend and secret admirer decided to take her back. What had ensued then was nothing but chaos with the dragons attacking from one side and his father being forced to retrieve his consort so to prevent a mark on his honor.

Sesshomaru and his father had never been close, they had more of a student and teacher relationship, but he truly despised his father when he was forced to perform the funerary rights and ascend as leader of the West. He was a mere two hundred and fifty at the time, a pup. Yet he was forced to give up his dreams of adventure and youth for steel and blood. His rise to power was not a welcome one for many and he had been forced to defend his birthright, each day returning to the shiro drenched in the blood of his enemies.

However, despite his father's death, he had not failed in his mission to retrieve his concubine and son. Thus the shackles of his father's life grew heavier as the care for his father's woman and bastard fell to Sesshomaru. The responsibility was suffocating.

When the woman had died of disease, he had been happy at first. That is until the half-breed began to follow after him; looking up to him as a parental figure. To Sesshomaru though, Inuyasha was the physical representation of all that he had lost. Even his mother left not wishing to be around the child. Eventually Inuyasha grew rebellious and left the shiro and Sesshomaru didn't care to follow; he had his own problems with the recent reports on a nefarious spider hanyou.

The next time he saw his brother, it was with a woman dressed in miko garb. They seemed to be traveling together and he could smell the attraction they felt for each other. He had come to claim his father's sword which had been placed in Inuyasha's eye. However, after venturing to his father's tomb he discovered that he was unable to remove the sword and left. Later he discovered that the half-breed had claimed the sword and was hunting the spider hanyou. The two kept their distance, not interacting unless it was unavoidable. Then the Fracture happened.

When he reached the small thatch of trees his brother called a forest he found that his brother's scent was half a day's old. He was about to follow after it when he caught wind of a fresher trail leading to a hut in the center of the village. The pathetic humans, knowing their place, removed themselves from Sesshomaru's path. He was an awe inspiring sight, his long silver hair dancing in the breeze while his clothes billowed about him. He exuded confidence and impatience. All remained silent as he passed, some even going so far as to bow, though a few disgruntled villagers mumbled complaints did reach his pointed ears.

"If we don't do something, people are going to start thinking this is a demon village!"

"First there was that half dog and his whore then there was that strangely dressed prostitute who I'm sure is a witch! Whatever shall we do?"

"I'm just glad they're gone! But now we have demon lords showing up, what could he possibly want?"

Sesshomaru was intrigued. So his brother had taken in another woman and this one a professional. Something must have happened if they thought she was a witch. _Humans and their ridiculous aversion to the occult._

To be honest, he had been quite suspicious when his brother didn't meet him at the village limits to warn him off by waving their great father's sword. So when he stepped into the hut, he realized why his brother's scent was still in the village even without the idiot himself being present. _So he has sired a pup and took the woman as his mate._

"Lord Sesshomaru, how may we be of assistance?" Kikyo asked him as she made to prepare a pot of tea. He gave her a disdainful look for even thinking that he would need another's assistance. "Forgive me, what is it you seek here? Inuyasha left early this morning for the island of volcanos."

"He left his pupped mate alone in a village without protection?" His voice was hard with accusation. "Disgraceful." Kikyo said nothing, only moving to cover her womb with her hands, instinctively taking a defensive stance. He was about to leave to follow his brother when he recalled the woman's spiritual ability. "Girl, have you felt a rise in demonic powers in this area?"

"No, Lord Sesshomaru."

"And this woman my brother prefers to travel with rather than protect his mate?" Kikyo's teeth clenched tightly, "What of her?"

"She isn't _not_ a threat." Kikyo's voice was cold as ice as she replied, her bangs covering her eyes.

"Hn." Sesshomaru hadn't detected a lie from the woman. He would have to investigate his brother's new woman now. Leaving the hut he began to follow the older trail of his brother. Knowing now that there was another with Inuyasha, Sesshomaru was able to find her scent. Though it was strange, her scent was almost identical to the smells of nature; if not for his superior nose he wouldn't have picked up on the small subtleties that distinguished it. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, this woman was becoming more and more questionable by the minute. He felt a smile stretch across his face; perhaps she would be strong. Feeling more motivated now, he increased his pace.

He was glad that he had sent Rin, Jaken, and Ah Un back to the shiro; it seems that he has a lot of investigating to do before he could return home. The mysteries kept piling up. The Fracture, his mate, that power surge, and now this new companion of Inuyasha's.

He could hardly contain his excitement at the challenges being placed before him.

Kagome was thrilled when they finally reached the entrance of Totosais' forge. She didn't even pretend to be surprised that the forge was actually the carcass of a long dead monstrous animal, nor did she comment on the three eyed ox that was standing patiently outside; after the walk she just had, she was just happy to reach stable ground.

The entire trek had been arduous to say the least; she was in constant danger of having a geyser or mini explosion set off under her feet every time she took a step. The energy wisps were just so thrilled at having someone so receptive to them that they couldn't help but show off. And Inuyasha? He wouldn't let her within thirty feet of him. Yet, despite their excitement, she could sense that there was an even greater collection of them farther inland.

"Hey old man! We need a sword!"

"Waa! Who is it? I know nothing about the disappearance of King Kir's victory feast!" Totosai yelled as he made to escape.

"What are you talking about you crazy geezer? You didn't happen to cause any problems in the sand kingdom did you?"

"Oh it's the useless brother." Totosai said as he once again relaxed next to a basin of water.

"Who are you calling useless you old carpet!"

"I see you have improved your taste since the last time I saw you, perhaps you are becoming wiser." He said as he watched Kagome dash to the water and begin scooping large handfuls into her mouth.

"Last time I was with Kikyo."

"Precisely."

"Why you!" Inuyasha called before introducing Totosai's head to Tessaiga's hilt. A few bumps later Inuyasha introduced Kagome. "She has some pretty strong power; all the swords that we have used so far have shattered. So we need you to make her a sword."

"She is strong?" Totosai's face was suddenly in front of Kagome's and she tilted her head as she watched the fire spirits gather around the demon. "I only sense power in the band around her arm. She is not fit for one of my swords. For only those demons of certain circles are acquainted with my work."

"Keh," Inuyasha tossed Kagome one of the blades that Totosai had finished, "Show him."

"Hey, you can't use that! It's for the Sand king in return for eating the feast!"

"So you were crashing parties."

"Well…" Kagome easily called on her power and the sword immediately burst into flames; the most prevalent energy source in the area being that of fire. Totosai's eyes widened even farther than they naturally were, the amount of power being channeled into the blade was immense and he could hear the metal screaming at being so full. However, he could sense no aura or power from the girl herself. It was as if the power channeled into the blade was purely natural, there being no hint of another's influence on it. Yet, this girl was clearly in control of it, her eyes alight with power.

Ever so lightly, Kagome tapped the blade against the wall of the cave. Immediately the area of wall around where the blade made contact was completely obliterated and the sword in Kagome's hand had shattered on contact. Through the hole, Totosai's ox blinked owlishly at them.

"I see." The elderly demon mussed, "Yes; that is the case." He moved to the back of the cave and began to rummage around; every now and then throwing an object over his head.

"So can you make her something or not?" Inuyasha huffed impatient.

"Help with what?"

"The sword!"

"Ah, of course! A sword!"

"Ahhh!" Inuyasha cried before heading outside. "I aint dealing with this right now. You two sort it out."

"Ok?" Kagome replied hesitantly as she turned to once again find the fire demon in her face. "Hello there…"

"Hmm. What to use…"

"Um, use?"

"Usually I would take your teeth, but you're not a demon so there isn't any power being kept there."

"So what will you use?" she asked as her heartbeat speedup. Hearing the increased pulse the demon smiled.

"I'll take your blood." He said as he pulled a massive knife from nowhere, grabbed her hand, and slit her wrist. She cried out at the sudden pain and watched as her bright red blood dripped into a ceramic bowl he had retrieved from somewhere. When her body began to heal the cut, Kagome couldn't help but gasp as she watched the energy stitch her cut together. That was before the old coot cut it open again.

Each time she began to close the wound the demon would cut it back open. Kagome was feeling faint when he finally decided that he had collected enough for the sword to be made. She collapsed to the floor and tried to fight off the dizziness that was obscuring her vision.

"What type of sword is your preference?" He asked as he scurried about gathering the material for a sword.

"I can handle any sword." The demon turned to look at her with a doubting expression. "I am not kidding." She said seriously as an arsenal of swords created out of her power appeared around her.

Totosai quickly turned back to his work and refused to acknowledge the hairs that were standing attention at the back of his neck. He had lived a long time and filled commissions by the strongest demons in the world. Being the coward he is, he was very good at reading when someone was able to back up their threats. And though she hadn't said as much, he was willing to bet that if he pushed her enough she would be more than willing to demonstrate her ability with all those swords on him!

He had also realized that the band around her arm was concealing her true power and aura; he wasn't the best sword maker for nothing! He specializes in making swords that do the same thing as her armband so of course he would notice. And if she was as strong as she seemed to be without the use of her true power, he did not relish the being that incited her anger enough to use it.

"I would just use these, but materialization requires a great deal of concentration. Having something physical to channel through would be easier and require less energy." She added as she twirled one on the tip of her finger. "Never know what you'll go up against."

"Any type of blade, huh?" he mumbled under his breath as he watched her easily handle the different swords. "Well, we'll just have to make every type then. I'm going to need a kitsune tail, dragon scales, spider heart…" he trailed off as he walked away.

"What do you mean every type? Like a shape shifting sword?"

"Precisely. Kitsune are notorious for their shifting and their tails are the source of their power. Dragon scales can be used for fortification against yours and your opponent's magic as their scales are the strongest material in the world, this way your power won't overwhelm the sword. A spider yokai has the ability to absorb other beings into itself, molding all the elements so they don't work against each other."

"And these yokai willingly gave you their body parts?" Kagome asked doubtfully, "This sounds illegal."

"Hmm? Oh it is?"

"…right. So why do you need my blood?"

"That's so it resonates with you and recognizes your power. It will be your partner and sentient."

"I see." Kagome said as she looked over at the other strange things he was gathering, not entirely confident in his sword making abilities, but then what does she know? After all, this was the guy who apparently made Inuyasha's changing sword.

Kagome watched him begin to brush and oil the kitsune tail, his fingers smoothing the soft fur as his fingers heated the oil gradually. When he was satisfied, he began to carefully arrange the scales along the sides of the tail so they only slightly overlapped each other. Kagome couldn't fathom how any of his materials could possibly become a sword, she had been required to take a course in the mechanics of weaponry which went into great detail about how swords, guns, axes, spears, and other various weapons were produced and the benefits of each.

Totosai had been rummaging around, no doubt looking for another strange creature to add to her "sword" when Kagome felt an approaching aura at an alarming rate. _Yokai_.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha materialized in front of her, "There's a-"

"Yokai, I know" Kagome replied quickly as she got to her feet and braced her body against the cave's wall for support; her head spinning from the massive blood loss Totosai had subjected her to. When she turned to warn the old sword maker of the danger she found he had already disappeared. Shaking her head she made to leave, "Let's go."

"I don't know, Kagome." Inuyasha hesitated, "You don't look that great."

"I'm fine." She said as she straightened and assumed an emotionless expression as she walked brusquely past him.

"Keh."

As the aura got closer to them Kagome noticed how strange it was, the energy seemed different somehow. It was only as Inuyasha pulled his sword and Kagome reached for her own when she had a sudden realization.

"I don't have a sword… Shit! Inuyasha, I don't have a sword!" Kagome panicked next to him.

"Stupid woman! This is why I said that you should stay back in the cave! You aren't thinking clearly."

Kagome couldn't help but turn incredulous eyes on the half demon next to her. _'This must be a joke,'_ she though speechless, ' _did this idiot just imply that he is capable of thinking clearly when the extent of his sword capabilities is depending on large scale attacks that require no thinking or skill?'_ Seeing her expression, Inuyasha bristled.

"What?"

"…"

"Whatever." He said as he turned to the yokai that was coming over the hill before resorting to his traditional hack now ask questions later approach. The demon was well over eight feet and it was eight feet of well packed muscle. His hands were tipped with razor sharp claws and his skin seemed to be shifting to match the landscape around him. _A chameleon demon_ , _I didn't think they would favor this kind of environment._

Despite fighting barehanded against Inuyasha's tessaiga, the chameleon was able to match Inuyasha blow for blow. Kagome would have let the battle play out without her interference if not for the sickness that seemed to have taken hold of the chameleon's energy. It was if the darkness had enhanced its abilities making it faster, stronger, and fearless. The beast seemed to fight without any care for his body and Kagome noticed that his body was healing at an alarming rate. Gritting her teeth as she forced her vision to clear, she advanced on the dueling pair.

Not having expected her to join, the chameleon was taken off guard as Kagome delivered a merciless kick to the back of his head which caused him to falter in his attacks. She quickly took advantage of his second of confusion and ruthlessly cut the Achilles tendons on both feet with the twin knives she materialized with her power. Despite her apparent immobilization of the demon, Kagome quickly retreated and knelt to catch her breath as the blades dissipated. It was in situations like this she needed a physical sword; the constant use of energy already placing great strain on her body.

Inuyasha quickly advanced on the fallen demon delivering blows of his own before the tendons on the chameleon healed. Soon enough, the battle was right back to where it had started as if Kagome hadn't intervened in the first place. She huffed and observed the movements of the chameleon finding that it had slowed slightly, as if it was not receiving the supplemented strength from the darkness in his whole body. Turning her attention to mapping the energy courses around him, Kagome quickly discovered that the places she had struck him with her power remained pure.

'It seems that my power has the ability to purify the darkness in its aura.' Kagome thought as she began to stand. She grit her teeth against the waves of dizziness that assaulted her before she forced her body onward. The demon was more weary of her presence now and managed to avoid her successive attacks with her materialized weapons. The strain on her body was immense as she forced a bow and quiver of arrows to appear but was satisfied when her attack finally made contact. He once again was immobilized, the arrow having sunk deep into his left knee. Dashing forward while ignoring Inuyasha's yell to stand behind him so he could attack, she wrestled the demon to the ground until he was completely immobilized in her hold.

She then began to channel her power through him, cringing as he cried out in pain. The energy cells didn't seem to be able to hold both the diseased blackness as her more pure energy resulting in their rupture. Switching tactics, Kagome fed him small doses of her energy in increments while encouraging his body to activate his healing by making small cuts along his back. In this way, her energy fused with his own; purifying the darkness as it moved throughout his body to heal. Soon the body began to recognize Kagome's energy as its own and a dark black puss was expelled from his body through the cuts Kagome continued to make on the Chameleon's back. Although he was still in pain, this was far less intrusive than rupturing his cells and wouldn't result in his death. When enough of her energy had been infused, she collapsed to the ground.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice was distant and laced with concern. She turned her head in his direction, her vision obscured by black and red dots. He was running toward her so he didn't notice it; the overwhelming power. Just as she lost consciousness he appeared, a great white dog looming over Inuyasha from behind; unseen. His power rolled off him overbearingly, forcing those who felt it to submit. Though, for Kagome, she felt only the comfort of home and security from it. She sighed and relaxed, allowing the darkness to overtake her.

She hoped he would be there when she woke.


	11. Chapter 11

"Sesshomaru!"

"Hello, little brother." Sesshomaru spoke calmly as he approached the pair.

"I'm not giving you the Tessaiga." Inuyasha challenged.

"There is little you could do to prevent me from doing as I pleased, Inuyasha." Inuyasha growled in frustration at the truth of his brother's words.

Though Sesshomaru's eyes watched his brother, every other sense was trained on the woman Inuyasha was crouched protectively in front of. Though he did not concern himself with his brother's dalliances, he found this woman to be rather…interesting.

He had come across the pair after tracking his brother in his inu form, the sulfur having made it more difficult to scent in his human form leading him to shift. Inuyasha had been fighting a deranged demon and Sesshomaru was prepared to enter the fray; if only to prevent someone of his father's blood from being killed by such a weak demon. However, a woman who had been standing to the side of the battle suddenly bolted forward and Sesshomaru decided to observe from a distance for the time being, curious about this woman the villagers had called a witch and who his brother's mate had deemed a threat.

He sensed no power from her; she was a mere human. Yet, she was a magnificent sight to behold. Despite her obvious disadvantage, her movements were fluid and unnaturally quick. Her eyes were sharp and calculative, confident that she would be victorious despite the overwhelming foe she was facing; a small smirk at the corner of her mouth. Her midnight hair was pulled from her face and he watched as her sweat from fighting in such heat trailed down the side of her face, and down her slender neck before disappearing between her breasts. He admired her form and found himself staring at how each of her muscles would flex as she continued to deftly doge and cut attacks of her own; her humanity seemingly irrelevant.

Sesshomaru had to grudgingly admit that she was a master with the knives she was wielding and quite skilled with the bow as well. He even allowed that on technique alone she could give him a run for his money. Though, what truly caught his attention was that she was capable of condensing energy into a tangible form without the use of channeling; not unlike his own poison whip. It required immense control and power to use energy in such a way, power he did not sense her having. Upon closer inspection he found that she was using borrowed from the band on her arm. The adornment itself was curious, but Sesshomaru had seen first-hand that power stored in inanimate objects posed just as great a threat as inherent power when the user was capable enough.

Though he recognized her skill with a blade her dependence on a metal trinket left a bad taste in his mouth. He had fought long and hard for his position and those battles had shaped who he was today. His power and strength were earned as he overcame the many obstacles that opposed him.

Sesshomaru did notice that something was wrong with her. She seemed to struggle to maintain the weapons she materialized, though this did not surprise him in the least. Concentrating such large amounts of foreign power would cause tremendous strain on the body. Yet, despite the obvious pain and disorientation she must have been experiencing, she fought on; tenacious and unrelenting in her onslaught of attacks.

When the chameleon demon was finally defeated, he had expected Inuyasha to finish it off with their father's fang and was once again surprised when the woman laid hands on the demon. Sesshomaru almost took a step back in surprise at the incredible force of power she began to channel into the demon. He growled lowly at the cruelty with which she chose to dispose of the demon, having one's cells rupture one at a time was one of the most painful ways to die and her inexperience was only slowing the process.

Sesshomaru once again began to make his way to the demon, this time with the intention to end its life quickly so to not prolong its suffering when the girl began to slice the demons skin and infuse the armband's power into him. Sesshomaru was surprised when he felt the disease that had settled upon the chameleon begin to fade. His useless brother seemed to wake from his daze and dashed forward toward the woman who had finished healing the demon. Hearing his brother's voice, she turned and met the red eyes of his true form.

His heart stopped beating in his chest as he felt her eyes bore into his own, looking deep into his soul. He stood frozen behind his brother, completely exposed to her gaze. Her blue eyes that were so sharp and calculating as she fought the deranged demon were soft and curious despite her disorientation. It was only when they closed as she lost consciousness that he realized he had not been breathing. His gasped inhalation drew the attention of his brother who slid into a defensive crouch in front of the woman.

"What are ya doing here if ya don't want my sword?" Inuyasha questioned suspiciously, drawing Sesshomaru, who had shifted into his human form, back to the present.

"There is much to be discussed brother." He briefly glanced at the woman who was still collapsed at his brother's feet. "Perhaps it would be prudent to remove ourselves to a more favorable location." It was strange that Inuyasha was not more concerned for the woman who must be suffering from the extreme heat and threat of being burnt alive. The ground around them seemed to tremble and magma would ooze out of crevices in the island's surface occasionally yet Inuyasha had not even offered his fire rat robe. Sesshomaru actually thought it quite strange how the island was behaving, he had made sure that he knew what was happening on each of the islands since the Facture and had never before heard of the volcanic island being so active.

"Keh, we aint going anywhere with you."

"Your idiocy truly knows no bounds."

"Bastard!" Inuyasha growled as he tensed to attack. A weak grip on his ankle stopped him, though, and he looked down to see that though she was holding onto him, Kagome was still unconscious.

' _So she saves him even in her sleep.'_ Sesshomaru mussed. "You will tell me of any unusual demonic power surges you have felt recently."

"And why should I do that?"

"I have just come from the elderly miko's home where your mate is currently staying in your absence."

"What about it?" Inuyasha growled harshly.

"She seems to have lost her ability to communicate with the world's energy." Sesshomaru stated mater-of-factly, "It would take very little effort on this Sesshomaru's part to rid this world of one defenseless pupped human."

"Not even you would do something so cruel, Sesshomaru."

"Do not test me." Inuyasha glared at his brother, trying to find any hesitance whatsoever in his threat, but none were to be found. Inuyasha scoffed and looked away in defeat.

"Aside from this demon here," he said gesturing to the incapacitated chameleon demon on the ground, "And then some of the surges around her," this time pointing to Kagome, "I haven't felt any demonic energy shifts."

"The demon was possessed?"

"I have no idea; you'll have to ask Kagome. She's the one who can sense that shit. Though she did something and its' aura returned to normal."

Sesshomaru hummed noncommittally, ' _So she is capable of sensing the energy field despite having no inherent ability to use the energy_.' He returned his attention back to his brother who looked like he would rather be anywhere else. "There are energy surges around the girl?"

"She is quite in tune with the energy of the world." Inuyasha said as he evaded a direct response. ' _That would explain her almost nonexistent scent; she almost blends in with the nature around her.'_ Sesshomaru could sense that his brother was keeping secrets but decided not to pursue them at the moment. He had other things to straighten out first.

"This Sesshomaru has not checked in on you for quite some time." Inuyasha scoffed, "It is pack law that members must present their potential mates to their alpha to be approved."

"Yea well, we were a little busy with the aftermath of the Fracture and Kikyo losing her power to go hunting you down for approval, not that I even need it from you."

Sesshomaru suddenly felt a strong feeling of apprehension tingle down his spine. His voice was cold and laced with venom as he spoke, "Inuyasha, you wouldn't happen to know something about the fracture would you?" His brother's eyes widened and he subconsciously stepped backward, his foot nudging Kagome awake; though neither brother noticed. "Inuyasha…" His voice trailed off threateningly.

"We were there." Inuyasha finally relented, his face turned down in shame.

"You were there."

"Yes, but we couldn't do anything."

"Explain."

"We had been hunting Naraku for months; he had all the shards but one, which Kikyo was holding onto for safekeeping." _That was a mistake_ , Sesshomaru though bitterly. "When he confronted us, he brought hordes of demons with him. Even using the full power of the Tessaiga, we were unable to hold them back and I was overwhelmed. He took Kikyo and stole the shard from her."

"You allowed that cur to claim the Shikon no Tama? Will you ever not bring shame upon our family?"

"Did you miss that part where I said he had hordes of demons? The sky was shadowed there were so many blocking out the sun! We fought for days on end but they kept coming!"

"What was his wish?"

"Power, he wished for all the power in the world." A vicious smirk spread across Inuyasha's face as he looked up into his brothers eyes, "His wish was his downfall; he was too greedy. Power and energy cannot come from nothing and he wanted everything. The jewel's power was not enough, so he began to draw from the land itself. The world fractured from the strain, the fission producing vast amounts of energy which support and divide the islands which were formed from six of the tectonic plates, the other plates being broken down into pure energy."

"If he has such power why is it that this Sesshomaru cannot sense him?"

"Kikyo and I realized early on that any wish made on the jewel would be twisted or granted in an unfavorable way. He wished for power, but not for the means to control that power."

"His body couldn't control it." Sesshomaru concluded.

"Yea, it was disgusting watching his body parts explode across the sky."

"And you found all these parts to ensure that he was, in fact, gone I presume." Sesshomaru said as he breathed out a relaxed sigh. This would explain why he had been unable to find the disgusting hanyou. It was certainly a weight off his shoulders though had he been the one to deal with Naraku, the world would probably still be in one piece.

"Are you kidding? I didn't have time for that!" Sesshomaru's blood ran cold, "Kikyo had just lost her powers and we had killed him, I wasn't about to go hunting down guts when I could finally mate her!"

"Fool, Naraku has regenerative abilities! How could you be so careless?" Sesshomaru fumed. "His body's self-destruct could have been a way to divide his power so that he could learn to control it in small regimens."

"There's… there's no way that's the case." Inuyasha said hesitantly, "I mean…he's dead. I haven't sensed his power and Kikyo hasn't sensed the jewel either."

"Your foolish mate no longer has any power."

"Umm." The brother's stopped arguing and turned to look at the woman who had woken without their notice. She was seated beside the chameleon demon and examining the gauntlets on its' wrists. Kagome was extremely confused. Inuyasha was talking to who she assumed was his brother, for all they looked alike, about some half demon named Naraku who could apparently regenerate and was the reason the world split into pieces.

Though, regeneration and world ending power aside, she found herself staring rudely at Inuyasha's brother. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen, his long silver hair was kept neat and he had an air of royalty about him; even her heightened senses couldn't pick up any physical defaults. Her fingers accidently brushed against a rougher edge of the gauntlet and she realized what she had been doing. Clearing her throat she spoke, "I don't mean to intrude on your conversation, but this Naraku guy, was he able to poison minds or manipulate people?" Neither brother spoke, indicating that she should get on with her point so they could return to their conversation. "It's just that this guy wasn't in his right mind when he attacked and these gauntlets seem to be emitting a dark energy. I think it's what drove him to act out of character."

Sesshomaru said nothing as he looked down on the girl. He was tired of human women running around thinking that they knew everything and were capable of everything. After all, it was Inuyasha's mate who broke the Shikon no Tama in the first place when trying to fend off Naraku. Though this…Kagome… was fair with a sword…as good as he was with a sword, the energy around her armband was nagging at his mind; a constant reminder that she had no power of her own. He felt as if he needed to physically restrain himself from ripping it off of her and destroying it. It was a constant throbbing sensation in his mind that was pulling at his instincts.

"Naraku could manipulate people or cause their energy to run rampant by using a jewel, the Shikon no Tama, to do it. But Kikyo had the ability to purify the jewel shards."

"You said that this guy absorbed all the energy around him before rupturing and dispelling it back out."

"Keh. What about it?"

"Well, wouldn't he have absorbed the jewel too? What if these gauntlets have been infused with a part of his power combined with the jewel?"

"Like that's likely, idiot. It's just a theory that he is still alive."

"But look," she said as she began to weave her energy around the gauntlets. As she did, the impurity and evil was replaced with purity and they shone with holy energy. "See. And I don't think these are the only ones. I can sense more tainted energy farther inland."

Inuyasha looked to his brother who had a dark frown on his face.

"This doesn't mean he's still alive, just that there are objects that contain a power similar to the jewel." Inuyasha stated firmly.

"You will not take responsibility for your failure and rid the world of these objects?"

"My failure? I wasn't the one who caused the Fracture."

"You were unable to prevent it. Is it not the duty of your priestess to care for the jewel?"

"She's pupped, I refuse to allow her to travel and I won't be leaving her alone now that I know there are others running around with these cursed items."

"Yet here you are consorting with a human woman using borrowed power."

Inuyasha froze and his gaze fell to the delicate golden band wrapped around her arm. They had decided to not tell anyone of her power so she would be in less danger and he would cut out his own tongue before he told his brother how powerful she was. There was no way of knowing if Sesshomaru would rut her or kill her and Inuyasha wasn't willing to figure out which.

Kagome's eyes narrowed at Sesshomaru's comment, pointing to herself she asked in a chilling voice, "Me?" She hated it when people assumed that she had it easy back in Japan; particularly when they said she was only getting good grades because she was giving out favors to the professors. She worked hard to improve herself and her chances of survival. Her hands were not smooth but rough and calloused from the hours she spent sword in hand. She had an indentation on her third finger from where her pen had dug into her hand while furiously taking notes and doing practice problems. She could disarm and subdue a trained man three times her size in less than five minutes. Weak and dependent she was not.

"She's different." Inuyasha interjected quickly hearing the threat in Kagome's voice and hoping to divert his brother's attention back onto himself.

"I'm sure she is." Sesshomaru's voice was thick with insinuation. "Have you placed a claim on her?"

"Excuse me? Who is supposed to have placed a claim on me?" Kagome raged.

"Are you joking?" Inuyasha asked aghast, his brother's expression clearly said that Inuyasha was an idiot for thinking he would joke. "I already have a mate why would I claim her?"

"Good." Before Inuyasha or Kagome even realized he had moved Sesshomaru had already knocked Kagome out and thrown her over his unarmored shoulder. He turned to leave, his brother still standing beside the fallen demon. "Wait for the demon to wake before finding out what he knows and how he came into possession of these gauntlets." Sesshomaru said holding the two adornments he had snagged sometime during his attack on Kagome. "This Sesshomaru will send Jaken to your home to collect his testimony tomorrow as I presume you will be returning to protect your pupped mate."

"Now wait just a minute, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha yelled as he gathered himself from the shock. His brother had always been overwhelming but it seemed Sesshomaru had been training since they last met and Inuyasha was caught off guard by the speed and efficiency with which he had dispatched Kagome. "Where are you taking Kagome?"

"As your alpha, it is this Sesshomaru's duty to take responsibility for your actions. This woman can sense the jewel which will be of use to this Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru, you should find someone else. Kagome doesn't understand anything."

"Are you offering your mate?"

"No!" Inuyasha spat, "It's just that Kagome isn't from around here, she isn't what she seems."

"I am aware of her less than decent profession, Inuyasha. Prostitute or not, she will do as I say."

"Ahh," Inuyasha cried out in frustration; things were escalating too quickly. "She's not a prostitute and she's not going to do what you say!"

A cruel grin, one that only those who were about to experience death at his claws ever saw, spread across Sesshomaru's face. His eyes shone with malice and sadistic pleasure. "Well then, little brother, this Sesshomaru will just have to make her."


	12. Chapter 12

' _She is truly a curious creature_ ,' Sesshomaru thought as he watched the unconscious girl before him. Not one to indulge frequently in the pleasure of the opposite sex, Sesshomaru prided himself on how meticulous his selection for a bed partner was. The woman most suited for him was soft and pliant while at the same time strong enough to defend herself and those she cared for. His woman would know when to submit and when he preferred a little mischief. Though Sesshomaru did favor woman whose appearance matched his own, willowy, graceful, fair skinned, with lighter hair, he reluctantly found himself appreciating his brother's latest acquisition.

She lay across the fire from where he was seated against a tree and the light from the fire lapped deliciously at her skin, creating an air of mystery where the shadows were cast. Her dark hair seemed consumed by the night surrounding them, the silky tresses twining down her back. He could almost feel the thick locks that had spilled between his fingers from when he had arranged her by the fire hours ago, though it was nothing more than a phantom sensation. Her soft bronzed skin had been warm under his cooler touch and her scent simply couldn't be described. Though she did smell like the nature around her, it was so much more at the same time. The spice seemed to shift and tease him, enticing him to lean in and sniff her neck were it was strongest. Strangely, the more he investigated the stronger his own scent became. Wrenching his face back he realized that the spice had begun to mimic his own woodsy scent. Yet, despite the hours he had gone without coming into contact with her, his scent remained.

All in all, Sesshomaru found himself considering the girl and felt that although she was not his usual type, she was very beautiful. He had witnessed her strength and grace in battle earlier that day and her eyes shined with fierce intellect and passion. _If only she were not human_.

He heard an increase in her heart beat and knew that it would not be long before she awoke. Originally his plan had been to keep her unconscious until they reached a witch who could make a subjugation charm for her, but that had become unnecessary when such a witch came to him. He had sensed her power the moment she reached the volcanic island and decided that this situation would suit him very well despite being suspicious of the convenience.

It did not take long to track her down having left Kagome at the camp he built; if she died then that was her fault. The witch looked quite young, though her scent screamed that she had lived a life long enough to rival his own. Her red hair was braided down her back and she wore next to nothing which came as no surprise to Sesshomaru, her body reeked of multiple men's seamen. The woman had been offensively forward in her approach, though it was not until she actually touched his person that she lost a limb.

"This Sesshomaru requires your services as a witch and nothing more." His voice was icy and filled with the promise of what he would do should she not comply.

"Of- of course, my lord. Whatever you need, I shall provide." She submitted as she crouched at his feet clutching what remained of her left arm.

"Good. You will provide three pairs of subjugation charms, the strongest you have."

"Ye- yes, my lord." She did not move from her position at her feet.

"You will do so now."

"Yes, my lord." Quickly she rose to her feet and began removing articles of jewelry before turning back to Sesshomaru. "My lord, I need your blood to form the connection."

Sesshomaru didn't hesitate to slice open his palm with a claw. Though blood was not something to be given so liberally he could kill her before she even thought to use it against him. The moment the blood made contact with the pieces of jewelry, they glowed a shade of green similar to his whip. Bowing before him, the witch offered up his request which he quickly took and stored in his sleeve before turning to leave. A hesitant voice called from behind.

"My lord, will I receive no compensation or payment?" Sesshomaru turned, his gaze punishing.

"Is your life not enough?" The witch quickly regretted her words and knelt in apology before him. She remained in such a position for an hour, unable to brave lifting her head in fear of the beast that she may find looking back. Though, when she did, she found that she was completely alone.

Sesshomaru continued to watch as Kagome showed signs of waking and fingered the necklace and bracelets tucked away in his sleeve. He couldn't decide if he wanted to see her panicked and helpless expression when he put the subjugation jewelry on her or if he would rather see her look of horror when she woke and came to the realization that she could not harm him and would obey his every command. Weighing the pros and cons in his mind, he decided to go with the latter. A slower realization would be more drawn out and gratifying not to mention it required less work and risk on his part.

So, making his way to her still sleeping form he pulled out a beaded bracelet and carefully placed it upon her wrist. Immediately the bracelet glowed green to show it was activated and Sesshomaru allowed a satisfied smirk to surface on his face. That is until the bracelet began to disintegrate into nothing more than dust. He frowned at the pile of dust beneath her hand even as the wind carried it away. That was not what was supposed to happen. How dare a mere piece of jewelry defy him!

Annoyed, he withdrew the other bracelet. He had asked for three as a precaution and was glad that his desire for perfection drove him to take such measures. Once again he slipped a bracelet onto her wrist, each of his senses straining to catch any change or discrepancy. Like before they glowed with his power before turning to dust. His frown became a scowl. He had seen it that time, he had watched as a golden hue molded with his own green forcing his power to turn against itself. _Just what could have caused it_?

Even as he thought the words, his mind had already found the solution. Innocently resting by her bicep was a golden cuff humming with power. It was simple looking and one would normally not give it more than a passing consideration, but Sesshomaru was far from normal and could _see_ it. Occasionally, he would see a ripple across the smooth metal. It was truly a living thing. The energy it contained must be immense for it to create reactions in the physical world.

He felt the weight from his final piece of subjugation jewelry and knew that if he were going to use it, the cuff would have to go. Unfortunately, he needed the girl's ability which she drew from the band. He doubted many humans, let alone demons, other than her would be able to manipulate such power and even fewer who would be willing to do as he directed. He was in a bind.

He didn't seem to realize that she had woken up ages ago and Kagome decided to amuse herself by softly blowing the looming demon's hair into his face, tickling his cheeks and causing him to wrinkle his nose in discomfort. He seemed to be trying to work out some puzzle which called for his complete attention and Kagome had the sneaking suspicion that it involved her. Though she did not particularly care for the elder brothers attitude from the brief conversation she had held with him, if you can even call it that, she knew that he had information regarding the state of the world; information that would hopefully bring her to the source of the problem and complete her quest.

Though she enjoyed her time with Inuyasha and the others, she had not made any real progress towards finishing her work and returning home. Inuyasha had to remain with Kikyo and Kaede was incapable of traveling great distances. All she could get from them was information which they were less than forthcoming about. So despite how much she despised the elder demon's personality, she decided to let things play out until she knew what his goals were and her role in them.

Kagome smirked at the perturbed expression on his face, she had obviously done something to confuse him and he was clearly upset by it. She supposed it wouldn't hurt to get a little revenge either; dogs had always been rather fun to tease.

Sesshomaru was rather vain about his hair. The long silver tresses were immaculate and he enjoyed the feeling of running his claws through them as they reminded him of cool water slipping between his fingers. His father had also chosen to keep his hair long; though he had kept it tied back. Unfortunately, Sesshomaru could not do the same due to the similarity in their appearance causing him to be mistaken for his father on more than one occasion. So, he kept his hair loose. It had never gotten in the way of battle, his years training and experience on the battlefield had taught him how to move so that his hair would not be a hindrance and to prevent blood splatter from marring his garments. So he could not understand why, when he is trying to work out a rather annoying problem, his hair had decided to rebel and force its' way into his face. Tired of it tickling him he lashed out and twisted his hair together behind him so that the strands would not come loose before letting out an annoyed huff.

A muffled laugh reached his ears causing him to stiffen. The woman who had been sleeping was very much awake and was definitely mocking him. He rose to his feet and drew his sword with an air of finality. He had no other choice now that she had seen him act in such a barbaric manner; he would be shamed if she ever spoke of it.

"Die." Was all he said as his sword arched down only to impale itself on the ground where she had been moments before. His eyes sought her form and found her crouched in the tree above him, a materialized bow drawn and trained on him. She could have fired and done substantial damage to him had she been so inclined. Displeased at having been bested, Sesshomaru lunged for her while deflecting the arrow fired. Once again, his sword failed to find purchase and there was a pressure against his back; the sharp pressure of a sword's blade.

He did not recall her being so quick in her fight with the chameleon demon and wondered where her speed and efficiency had come from. Try as he might, Sesshomaru felt an increasing familiar thrill race through him. With her sword trained on his back, Kagome couldn't help but share his sentiments. It had been too long since she had a powerful enough opponent to cross blades with and she was more than recovered from Totosais' blood collection. On earth she had been unmatched and even in this new world she had been given an overwhelming power. She knew that although people strive to be the best at something, once attained, it is rather lonely and disappointing. Gone were the thrilling battles that would stretch on without either side giving in. In fact, she was rarely asked to spar anymore the fight would be so one sided. Even with Hojo.

But this man- no, this demon may be just the thing she had been looking for. The speed with which he turned and disarmed her sent a chill to her bones; she adored the challenge in his eyes. Immediately they set in on each other, neither giving an inch. His attacks were indeed more powerful but she more than made up for that with her speed. The power she felt emanating from his sword warned her of the danger it possessed should she allow him enough distance, being at a disadvantage for fighting with nothing but her materialized weapons.

At some point each realized that they were no longer trying to defeat the other, rather they did not want the moment to end. They had expanded their senses, hearing the harsh inhales of the other's breathing. Their eyes missed nothing, seeing every movement; preventing the success of feigns and the tensing of muscles before an attack, keeping them at an equal ground. They also saw the vicious grins on the other's face, high off the heat of the battle. They both felt alive.

Moving as one, they fought until the sun began to disappear and twilight settled in; their weapons singing with every collision. Sesshomaru's eyes had long since turned feral. Thinking to catch her off guard, he lashed out with his whip only to watch it intertwine with one of her own making. His smile widened, she was a worthy opponent.

When he watched her fight the chameleon he had thought she drew her strength from the powerful band around her arm, but in close combat there was nothing that could escape his eyes. She was not using the power from the band for things other than her weapons. The individual before him was fighting with her honest ability, the perfection of her forms and confidence in her various blades told him of her dedication to the craft. Her calloused hands mirrored his own; never having been given a chance to heal due to constant practice. He had been too quick to judge her.

Despite being evenly matched, their fight finally concluded with Sesshomaru as the victor. However, he was aware that it was no fault on her part but rather the difference in weapon capability. His sword had been forged by the greatest blacksmith in the world and possessed incredible destructive abilities where as she had only materialized energy at her disposal. Energy is not as strong when it is crafted into something in the physical world and is strongest when working in conjunction with a physical object, thus making her weapons inferior to his Bakusaiga. Yet, even with the deadly blade pressed against her throat she refused to submit.

"I win." She panted cheekily. Sesshomaru's eyebrows rose in surprise and he blinked his blood red eyes at her in curiosity. Kagome smiled at how different the beast was from the more demure logical side.

"You believe this even when I hold your life in my hands?"

"Yup." Kagome saw him struggling between satisfying his curiosity and remaining aloof. She decided to take it easy on him as a reward for such a great spar. "Best two out of three. I beat you twice and you only won once."

"This Sesshomaru does not recall losing to a human."

"Oh? This Kagome recalls pointing an arrow at your unsuspecting head and pressing my blade into your back. I won twice and you won once. That makes me the overall winner." Sesshomaru said nothing as he though back to the first two times he had been caught off guard. He couldn't deny that she was right, but he refused to confirm her thoughts none the less. Kagome stretched, her arms straining above her head as she loosened her muscles, completely disregarding the sword pressing into her neck. "That was fun, I haven't spared like that for quite some time."

Sesshomaru had to admit, to himself anyway, that he had enjoyed himself as well. He lowered his sword to create more space between them. Though completely innocent, her stretching was causing her tank top to ride up and her breasts were pressed together enticingly. He may have allowed that she was a decent fighter, but she was still a human and he was not interested in humans.

"Anyway," Kagome said as she bent over to stretch her legs, "what had you so confused when I woke up? You seemed quite focused." At the reminder of his hair problems and her laughter he clenched his sword and his eyes narrowed in accusation. "Hey now, calm down! I'm not going to tell a soul how you worked yourself into a tizzy over your hair and were huffing about it like a hormonal teenage school girl." His eyes were menacing as he smiled lightly at her. She had the distinct impression that not many lived after having seen it and was quick to intervene on her own behalf. "Kidding! I was just kidding!"

"You lie."

"…" Kagome swallowed.

"Die."

"Waaaa!" Kagome screamed dramatically as she avoided each of his attacks. "Can't we just talk this out?"

"No."

"How about a deal? Yea, let's make a deal." Kagome pled. Though, she didn't really mind another fight, she had a feeling that he would kill her at the end. "Umph," she grunted when she was suddenly forced against the hard ground, the wind completely knocked out of her. She hadn't even seen him get that close.

Sesshomaru stared down at his prey. The little human was squished beneath his foot and he found the whole situation highly pleasurable. He liked her lying indisposed beneath him at his mercy. A smirk spread across his face as his amber eyes met her blues, reviling in her indignant expression. Yes, he quite liked this.

"Twice."

"What?" Kagome huffed.

"Were tied now, we've both won twice."

"Ugh! Let me up will you?"

"This Sesshomaru thinks not."

"Well that Sesshomaru can go and-"

"We shall make a deal. This Sesshomaru will spare your pitiful life and, in exchange, you will assist this Sesshomaru in dealing with that cursed jewel and hanyou." Kagome paused in her struggles to escape his foot and considered. _This could work_ , she thought. It would get her right where she needed to be and Sesshomaru was powerful enough that she wouldn't have to worry too much about him. Though she hesitated over the fact that she did not know what his reasons for hunting the evil down were. From what Inuyasha had told her, his brother was a power lusting monster. What would drive him to do something that would benefit society?

"Alright." Kagome said holding her hands beside hear head on the ground in a sign of surrender. "We can partner up for the time being."

"Not a partnership, Miko, but a master-slave relationship."

"Noooo way!" Kagome drawled, "The universal declaration of human rights was mandated by the UN back in 1948 you idiot." Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow, he had never before heard of a declaration of human rights, whatever a UN was, or the significance of the numbers 1948 but he refused to let her know that. The woman would surly hold it over him that she knew something he did not.

"That may be the case, woman. However, I am no human and am therefore not bound by it." _'Whatever_ it _is.'_ He thought.

"Right." Kagome said dryly. She had forgotten that. Though she did find it cute that he was pretending to know what she was talking about. Men and their pride. "Regardless, because we are tied two-two, we are technically on equal footing. Thus, until our next match, we are partners."

"This Sesshomaru accepts." He said taking his foot away, "You shall be this Sesshomaru's servant by morning's light." Kagome just groaned and rubbed her back, sure that there was now a dusty footprint on her shirt.

"Whatever, just know that this agreement goes both ways. Who knows, you may end up my slave." Sesshomaru's eyes widened before narrowing into slits.

"The probability of such a thing happening is near impossible."

"Mhmm," she hummed, "Just don't go breaking your word."

"An inu yokai without his honor is nothing more than a gutter rat scavenging for scraps." Sesshomaru's voice was almost robotic and Kagome wondered just who it was that had beat that idea into the dog's thick scull.

"How eloquent."

The two soon found themselves seated before a dimly lit fire. Preparing the fire was easy enough as the volcanic energy wisps had emerged from the ground before Kagome even reached out to them, offering their services. Of course the volcanic earth was warm enough but instinct and routine she had developed from her survival training led her to take such measures. She also didn't want to let Sesshomaru know that she could see in the dark, it was always good to keep some of her cards hidden. For all Sesshomaru knew, she was just a human with abnormal fighting capabilities.

As for Sesshomaru, he had been forced to veil his surprise when a fire sparked to life without needing wood or a fire starter. He could not see the energy field without connecting with his mate but he could feel the hair on the back of his neck and his arms standing on end from the immense charge of energy surrounding them. He trained his eyes on her fire lit figure; suspicious. Although she showed no sign of possessing inherent power, he could feel the energy spiral and build around her. Yet, despite the obvious threat, Sesshomaru felt his muscles relax as waves of comfort flowed over him. Even stranger was the way her eyes seemed to glow for a moment though it could have just been the reflection of the fire.

Curiously, the golden band she wore was rippling with higher frequency than it had earlier. He couldn't really recall what had happened between the moment he was watching the fluctuating cuff and finding himself kneeling beside her as his clawed hand reached out to brush the aggravated metal. However, before contact could be made, his hand's path was halted by a small hand griping his wrist tightly. Slowly, his gaze rose to meet Kagome's which held a severe look of warning that screamed DO NOT TOUCH! Had Sesshomaru been any lesser a demon he would have bared his neck in submission her eyes were so fierce. Lesser he was not.

Instead his found himself drawn back to the trinket that held such power. Where it had once been rippling with the energy that had gathered in the area, it was now positively vibrating as it became more fluid in form; expanding, contracting, and temporarily losing its shape as a piece of jewelry. Even stranger was how it seemed to be stretching out to his suspended hand, almost as if it had recognized him.

"Where did you acquire such a piece?" Sesshomaru asked without looking away. When he didn't get a response he finally turned his attention on the owner who was unusually silent, her eyes continued to burn into him. Realizing that his questions would not be answered that night, he withdrew. "This Sesshomaru will unveil your secrets, Miko. You can be sure of that."

"Why the interest, Sesshomaru?" She inquired defensively, "Looking for one of your own?"

"This Sesshomaru does not rely on false foreign power." He bit out angered at her implication he was weak.

"Nor do I." Were her muttered words as she turned to walk from him.

He opened his mouth to retort that she was obviously lying until he was stopped when the wind shifted bringing her scent to his nose. She was telling the truth.

 _What does this mean?_


	13. Chapter 13

Do not wake a sleeping demon. This was a fact known by all and passed on through whispered tales spun by mothers to their fearful children.

Unfortunately, sleep was not something which came to demons easily; a truly daunting aspect of their physiology when taking their expansive lifetime into consideration. Whether it was day or night did not matter, as demons could see just as easily in the dark as they could the light, sleep would continue to elude them. Long had demons of all species sought a draught that would grant them a few blessed hours of unconsciousness, never to succeed due to their general immunity to such potions. Thus the elusiveness of sleep continued to plague demon kind. It is only by being completely at ease with oneself and their surroundings that sleep is attainable.

Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose as his sniffed the air in confusion, the scent of roasting meat strong despite the sulfuric, rotten egg, smell one tended to associate with the volcanic wasteland. Even stranger was the heaviness of his limbs and that his mind, which was typically rapidly analyzing the copious amount of information he took in every second, was lethargic and slow to process anything. Opening his eyes, he sought out the answers to his unspoken questions and was astonished by what he saw.

The sky. A blue sky. A blue sky and a giant battle axe. A blue sky, a giant battle axe, and a pair of mischievous cerulean eyes.

"What manner of magic did you use to disable this Sesshomaru?" he questioned without removing his gaze from the looming axe. Kagome cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"I was under the impression that we would be deciding who won the match during the night." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the clearly, sunlit sky. "Usually when someone claims they are going to decide a fight, they don't fall asleep within seconds of closing their eyes." Sesshomaru's eyes shot to Kagome's, fully awake.

"This Sesshomaru did not sleep."

"Well you were asleep enough to fall over onto your back and not sense my axe which has been hanging over your head the better part of the night."

'Impossible.' Sesshomaru thought. He hadn't slept for more than a few sparse moments, which were more of blackouts than peaceful sleep, since he had inherited his title as lord of the west having been under constant threat of attack. Yet, his muscles and mind attested to the truth in her words; both feeling incredibly well rested.

Since taking Rin in as his ward, Sesshomaru had begun to close his eyes in meditation during the evening hours. She had fretted over him for quite some time, distressed that he wasn't properly caring for his health. ' _However_ ,' Sesshomaru thought as he glared at the strange girl beside him, ' _it appears she is capable of calming me to such an extent that I unknowingly fell asleep_.' Any other demon would rejoice at finding such an individual. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, felt nothing but suspicion and annoyance. He did not appreciate his body working against him and had no need for luxuries such as sleep. He was fine the way he was.

"Anyway, that puts me at three wins and you at two." Kagome continued.

"Very well." Sesshomaru acquiesced, "What is it you will have me do as your slave?"

"Wow wow! Slow down there." Kagome rushed to say while waving her hands frantically, "I don't want you to be my slave. Besides, slavery has been abolished since 1949." Sesshomaru frowned once again at her strange numbers and principals. Slavery was definitely still practiced and the relationship between master and servant or lord and vassal was integral to maintaining the social hierarchy that allowed peace to rein. "I would rather have you as a friend."

"This Sesshomaru has no friends."

"I cannot believe how proudly you just said that." Kagome gaped in astonishment. "But if being friends is too much for you at the moment, how about having a mutual respect for each other?"

"Respect is something earned and not to be given freely."

"Well I beat you. That must get me some respect, right?"

"On the contrary," Sesshomaru said with narrowed eyes, "It only makes me want to kill you."

"How about being acquaintances then?" Kagome offered, grasping for straws. Sesshomaru paused to consider her suggestion. He didn't have many he would consider acquaintances, namely Rin and Ah Un. Eyeing Kagome, he reached out to pat her on the head. Enjoying the feel of her hair, he continued to do so while Kagome remained frozen in shock.

"Yes," Sesshomaru finally agreed, "You shall be this Sesshomaru's acquaintance."

"Wait!" Kagome called after Sesshomaru's retreating figure, " _That_ is how you treat your acquaintances? An acquaintance is not the same thing as a pet, Sesshomaru!"

"They have never complained before."

"Just who are they?"

"An eight year old human child and a pet dragon."

"You have got to be kidding me." Kagome cried helplessly.

After Kagome cleaned up the breakfast food she had prepared for herself they began walking in silence toward the port of the volcanic island when Kagome suddenly spoke up. "Hey Sesshomaru, where are we going?"

"To find the jewel pieces."

"Then shouldn't I be leading? I'm the one who can sense them after all." Sesshomaru's steps faltered at the realization. He had been so accustomed to leading a relatively helpless group that he had nearly forgotten the reason he was keeping the strange human with him. "This Sesshomaru does not sense the dark presence associated with Naraku here any longer." He said covering up his mistake.

"Oh, ok." Kagome said passing him, "Then I guess that massive force emanating from farther inland is nothing then. My mistake. We can keep going then."

Sesshomaru clenched his jaw in frustration. The infuriating woman had sensed something that big and had failed to mention it causing them to loose valuable time. Even more annoying was the fact that he was being proven wrong by a mere human; though she was unlike any human he had met before. Sesshomaru leveled a glare in her direction that clearly told her to get a move on, choosing to ignore the smug look of satisfaction on her face as she proudly led them back inland.

"I was wondering, Sesshomaru," Kagome began as they crossed an arid plain, the ground cracked from lack of water. "Just what are you getting out of all of this? Why do you care if someone is amassing power?"

"That is none of your concern, woman."

"It's just that you seem more the type to allow an enemy to get stronger just so that when you decide to eliminate them it is more fun for you."

Though he didn't respond or change his facial expression, Kagome could tell that he was quite flustered at having been read so well. But what did he expect her to think when he shared her thrill of a good fight. If the opponent wasn't the source of mass suffering, she would probably allow them to gather their strength too. Though, from what Inuyasha had told her, Sesshomaru wasn't one to care about the humans who were suffering.

"You're some kind of lord or something, right?"

"This Sesshomaru is the cardinal lord of the West."

"…Right. That." Kagome sweat dropped as she came to the realization that her companion was actually one of the leaders of the world.

"Though after the fracture, I suppose I rule only the forest territory."

"So what about the other islands, do they have their own lords then?"

"Hn."

As the sun began to descend beyond the horizon Kagome suddenly stopped. Before them was an incredible canyon that seemed to split the earth. The escaping air whipped Kagome's and Sesshomaru's hair about as they leaned over to judge the depth. Darkness.

"Well. That's rather deep." Kagome said stating the obvious. "It's strange though, there is no water here to carve out such a canyon and even that would take several million years to do so. Well, either that or a glacier, but I doubt that that was what caused it here."

"Come, we will descend." Sesshomaru said grasping Kagome's right arm.

"What?" Kagome exclaimed trying to remove his hand. "I never said that the energy was coming from down there! Hold up just a min- AHHH!" Kagome shrieked as Sesshomaru lightly hopped off the edge. "ARE YOU INSANE!"

"Silence, woman." Sesshomaru scolded as they continued to fall, "This Sesshomaru has very sensitive ears."

"SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE! BUT WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH AT THE MOMENT. LIKE, MAYBE, THE GROUND THAT IS RUSHING TOWARDS US AT AN ALARMING RATE!"

Closing her eyes, Kagome clutched Sesshomaru's armor as tightly as possible. Sesshomaru remained unfazed as he propelled himself horizontally off the cliff face and across to a landing that jutted out of the rock. The moment his feet touched down, Kagome threw herself from him and began to worship the ground beneath her.

"You will cease you actions this moment, woman." Sesshomaru said looking over the edge, "There are more pressing matters at hand than your strange habits."

"I was just thanking the ground for existing." Kagome muttered petulantly but complied none the less. "It's rather hot down here though." She said fanning herself.

"That is because this canyon was carved not by water but by lava." Sesshomaru replied while continuing to look down below. Kagome paled and rushed to his side. As he had said, there was a river of lava steadily flowing; carving the rock face as it moved.

"Please tell me that you knew there was lava down here before you jumped, Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked darkly.

"…"

"This is definitely something that you should share with an acquaintance! Where I'm from, people don't go throwing themselves off of cliffs with lava at the bottom unless they have a death wish or are specially trained."

"You doubted this Sesshomaru?"

"YES!" She hollered, "You were lucky there was a ledge here for you to land on. I don't even want to consider what might have happened otherwise."

"This Sesshomaru would have been fine regardless."

"How can you say that? Are you impervious to lava?"

"No." He replied coolly, "This Sesshomaru can fly."

"You can fly." Kagome agreed nodding solemnly, "Of course you can fly. Wait! You can fly?"

"If memory serves, there should be an entrance over there." Sesshomaru said once again grasping Kagome's arm and launching them through the air.

"You have got to be kidding me." Kagome cried as she watched the ground become a distant memory. Sesshomaru fought the urge to roll his eyes when Kagome latched herself to his side in fear, though, he didn't remove her.

They had to fly back up the canyon to a point a little over halfway up the wall before the tomb came into sight. The sight instantly reminded Kagome of the Al-Khazneh in Petra back on Earth. Carved into the cliff face were great columns and the entryway gave the impression of ancient roman entryways with its triangular portico. She could just make out the carved frieze above the columns depicting a great warrior defeating his foes in battle. Then there was the sheer size of the structure being well over two hundred feet in height.

"Incredible." Kagome all but breathed. The only thing masking the brilliance of the structure was the incredible darkness that flowed thickly from the entrance. Chills rushed down Kagome's spine at the hatred and twisted promises of power the darkness seemed to ooze. Kagome didn't even want to consider what would have happened if someone had gotten their hands on whatever was giving off such an aura. They were truly fortunate that the island was scarcely populated.

Sesshomaru shrugged his indifference and Kagome couldn't help but wonder at the difference in their upbringing if this was a typical sight for him. "My father's is grander." He offered as he landed at the steps leading into the cliff.

Kagome smiled, a teasing light in her eyes. "What is it made out of, diamond?"

"No. It's made from his skeleton."

Kagome allowed her laughter to rush forth as she gripped her sides. "I never took you for someone who makes jokes." She said as she righted herself. Sesshomaru was still standing before her, his expression not having changed from his usual taciturn. "You are joking right?" He turned from her, the fabric of his clothes kicking up dust in his wake. "Sesshomaru!"

Immediately after having entered the tomb they were submerged in darkness. Kagome waved her hand in front of her face and was unable to see even that despite her superior sight. Apprehension seeped into her as she strained to discover anything with her other senses.

"Can you see or sense anything, Sesshomaru?" She asked quietly, suspicious of their new surroundings. Not receiving a response, Kagome repeated her question before reaching out for where she thought he was standing.

Though Sesshomaru would never admit it, the hand that touched his arm startled him. He had not been able to see, hear, smell, or sense anything since entering what he supposed was the antechamber. Instantly he attacked with his poison claws.

"Outch!" he heard Kagome yelp from beside him, "What was that for, Sesshomaru?"

"You should know better than to touch this Sesshomaru's person."

"You weren't answering me and my senses seem to be acting up." She replied as she tried to remove his grip from her arm; an arm that should have been burnt off.

"This Sesshomaru heard nothing."

"I have been right next to you this whole time." Kagome paused. "Sesshomaru, can you see me?"

Sesshomaru said nothing as he searched the darkness; he could not even see his own hand let alone hers. To say his sensory deprivation was disorienting would be an understatement; Inu depend heavily on their sense of smell and hearing.

"You're arm," he began, "Does it not burn?"

"What are you talking about?" She replied annoyed as she continued to pull at his long fingers, "Your attack probably won't even bruise; it just startled me a bit."

Sesshomaru stood stunned. He had lost not only his senses but his poison as well? He looked down at where his hand should have been burning her arm off. Kagome was muttering a string of expletives as she continued to work on releasing herself. Cautiously, Sesshomaru relinquished his hold on her and was immediately met with silence. Narrowing his eyes, he reached out and grasped her shoulder and she once again became audible.

"This Sesshomaru believes this room is meant to deprive one of their senses. Lesser demons would be driven to insanity. Unless we are touching, we will not be able to communicate."

"Ok?" Sesshomaru could hear all the questions in her tone and was thankful that she did not voice them. Just because he wanted to retain a few of his senses did not mean that he wanted to hear her prattle. "Now that you mention it though, I can't sense the tainted aura anymore. It's as if it vanished completely."

"That is likely a defense mechanism. Tombs of leaders or people with something to hide are often riddled with traps like this." Sesshomaru said as his mind began to work out the best course of action now that they could not use her as a compass.

"A booby-trapped tomb huh?" Kagome said speculatively. "We have those where I'm from as well."

"Oh?" Kagome could practically feel the oppressive force of his gaze on her. "An- Anyway, let's get going. No time to waste you know, we have a world to save after all." She finished with a forced laugh.

"Indeed."

"How did you know this was here anyway?" Kagome asked as they slowly began to work their way down the stairs; Sesshomaru's hold on her shoulder firm so that he does not lose her in the darkness.

"My father knew the demon who became the lord of this land after the Fracture. I received notice of the location of his tomb a while back."

"I see…" Kagome trailed off, not really understanding.

Kagome suddenly cursed when she ran directly into something hard and metal. Sesshomaru tensed beside her, immediately preparing for the unseen foe. Reaching out blindly, Kagome found what she had run into and immediately withdrew it when her hand began to burn.

"Gah!" she exclaimed, "What is with this place and all its hot surfaces?" Reaching around her, Sesshomaru felt the circular metal and frowned when his hand became hot as well. "Why would it be hot anyway? It's not like there is anything to be heating it in here?" Kagome was still blowing air onto her overheated hand when Sesshomaru began to yank her along behind her. "What do you want now?" she complained.

Sesshomaru ignored her as he continued to wander the room, occasionally coming across another heated metal disk. He finally stopped when he found one that was cool to the touch rather than heated.

"Curious." He mussed, "What could heat select metal to such a degree and why would such a source be here?"

A disgruntled Kagome got up and began to dust herself off; clearly not happy with having been dragged around by Sesshomaru for the last hour searching for kami knows what. Reaching out in the direction of his voice, having decided that the sooner they figured out how to get out, the better off they would be, her fingertips brushed the cool metal. For the first time she realized something, they were not just metal disks, but metal bowls.

Kagome wracked her brain for any reason a bunch of metal bowls would be found in a dark room or why they would be heated. Metal can become heated for many reasons: if it is over a fire, friction, conducting electricity, or has been sitting in the sun for too long. She paused.

"Move over Sesshomaru." She said nudging him out of the way to grip the bowl on both sides. Putting all her strength into it, she began to rotate the pedestal the bowl was perched sideways on. "Each of the bowls were facing different directions right?" Kagome panted as she continued to rotate it. "Metal heats in the sunlight and there is some sort of spell blocking our senses, our ability to see light. Back home, we would study ancient civilizations. Mostly their government or philosophy because it was the foundation for present day politics, but I always found the culture and buildings fascinating. They didn't have electricity and they had to find an alternative to burning oil because it was expensive, so they had to be creative. The Romans left holes in the ceilings so that light could enter in the middle of the room, the Incans built windows into the second floor storage rooms of their homes, the Egyptians, on the other hand, used mirrors."

"Mirrors?" Sesshomaru asked, sure that Kagome had finally lost it. Romans, Incans, Egyptians, electricity; all these things were strange to him. His curiosity for the mystery that was Kagome increased tenfold. She spoke as if her village was incomprehensible to him, as though she did not expect him to understand. In truth, she was right. _However_ , he thought darkly, _there is nothing this Sesshomaru cannot discover._

"Yea, have you ever noticed how mirrors can refract light?"

"Yes." Sesshomaru deadpanned. The only mirrors he had come across belonged to his mother or his father's concubine and they had been nothing but polished pieces of flat metal. However, though he had never seen a mirror refract light, he knew that it was possible as they were made from the same metals as swords which, when polished, could easily reflect sunlight.

"Well when they are curved," she continued as she heard a click and felt the stand lock into place. "The light can be manipulated to change directions and light a whole room."

Sesshomaru took a step back in shock as he was suddenly blinded by the onslaught of light. Cautiously, he opened his eyes to see a room covered in mirrors. Every surface was reflective and shone brightly. His eyes found the origin of the light was nothing more than a small hole above the door they had entered through. A door that was now sealed shut. Sesshomaru figured that they were quite fortunate that they even came across the only mirror that needed to be adjusted or they would have been in there for months. Reluctantly, he looked down to see a smug looking Kagome.

"Kagome 4, Sesshomaru 2." She smirked adding a point to her score. Sesshomaru had to stop himself from voicing the growl burning the back of his throat. Oh the things he was going to make her do when she became his slave…

"Come along, Sesshomaru." She said as she swaggered to the door hidden beneath a swath of mirrors on the other side of the room. "I can't wait around for you all day." _That's what he gets for acting all high and mighty all the time_ , she added to herself.

He clenched his fist with promise, _She will grovel at my feet and she will beg that I be merciful_.

"Acquaintances, Sesshomaru." Kagome reminded him, "We're acquaintances."

He narrowed his eyes at her _, Did she read this Sesshomaru's thoughts?_

"No, but it's not hard to guess what's going on up there when your eyes are practically screaming that you will take great pleasure in dismembering me and pickling my organs."

"This Sesshomaru will take your preferences into consideration when the time comes." He replied diplomatically.

"If the time comes. As it stands, I am winning by a long shot."

"We will see."

When he arrived at her side, Kagome sent him one last smirk before wrenching the door open wide. They only had the chance to briefly see inside the room when both Kagome and Sesshomaru were forced to covered their ears in protection from the horrid screech rent the air, nearly rupturing their ears due to their more sensitive hearing. Kagome took one last glance at the creature and abruptly slammed the door closed again.

She froze and allowed her eyes to travel up to those of her companion who had not one, but two eyebrows raised in judgment. ' _The weak human cannot even defeat such a weak creature.'_ They seemed to be saying. She grit her teeth and planted both hands on her hips aggressively.

"Oh, don't give me that look, Sesshomaru! You saw that thing too and where I come from, that is definitely not classified as weak." If possible his eyebrows rose higher spurning Kagome to growl in frustration. "It was on fire!"

"There are many demons that are aflame." Sesshomaru's voice was conversational as if commenting on the weather though Kagome could detect the edge of humor in his tone at her expense. "One should expect it in the tomb of a fire demon after all."

"Sesshomaru-" Kagome growled even as he confidently opened the door again. This time, instead of finding a horrifically flaming bird with chilling blue eyes and the feathers of many birds, a peaceful looking heron glanced their way in indifference. "Wha-"

"And you were afraid." Sesshomaru scoffed as he moved into the room. Kagome followed more cautiously, skeptical of the bird which had replaced the dangerous flaming one from before. When nothing happened, she began to search for the door. The circular room was covered in murals and, despite her earlier apprehension, was quickly captivated by the images drawn on the wall. Following the theme from the last room, they had an Egyptian style to them and she admired the beautiful calligraphy as she wandered along the wall.

Hearing a loud snap, Kagome looked to see Sesshomaru eyeing the bird distastefully. Apparently, he had walked too close for the birds comfort. Returning to the images before her, Kagome found herself caught on one painting in particular. A man with the head of a falcon and what looked like the sun resting above him was on a grand boat set afloat in a river. Oddly, at his side was a heron; upon its head were two long feathers and another sun. The boat was adorned with many treasures of gold, lapis lazuli, amethyst, and emerald.

The image appeared to wrap around the entirety of the wall and the scenes seemed to shift to tell a story as Kagome continued her perusal. She saw how the boat was stripped of its splendor and twelve women joined the man and bird. Their journey was filled with danger as they entered twelve worlds and met with many creatures. A different woman would step forward to guide them each time they entered a new world. A land of the dead where souls live, the land of the spirits of the corn where peace reigns, a realm of judgment ruled by a great enthroned man who appeared to weigh lives with his scale casting some into pits of fire, a sea of sand where only serpents or creeping creatures may glide upon the sand, a burning lake where betrayers are cast into, a land of life housing three shrines along the riverbank, a serpent of hell emerging to drag all who pass into its depths, a vast world of dead gods and their faithful followers, the river running red with the blood of sacrifices, a great army of light meets and guides the boat as it continues its journey, a realm of fire and torture, the falcon headed man shedding his skin and being reborn into the world.

Looking around, Kagome found that she was back where she had started. The room was circular and the story seemed to begin again as if it were cyclical. Twelve realms. Twelve women. A man with a falcon head and sun crest.

"Fuck." Kagome exhaled as she finally understood their situation. The snapping of a beak drew her attention back to Sesshomaru who looked ready to behead the bird. A bird that had two feathers and a sun disk above its head. "Wait!" Kagome yelled suddenly as she hurried to calm him. "I don't know much about the traditions here, but that" she said pointing to the perturbed bird, "Is definitely dangerous."

Sesshomaru scoffed at her insinuation that mere poultry could defeat him.

Kagome shook her head, annoyed at his need for posturing. Just who was he trying to impress? "Do any of these symbols or images look familiar to you, Sesshomaru?" His eyes flashed about as he looked around the room once again.

"They are the teachings of a more obscure and thought to be dead religion. They are depictions of a nightly ritual surrounding a god of some sort. The religion worshiped the sun so it is safe to assume that there was darkness and danger associated with the night. Many of the texts have been lost though, and little is known of them."

"I was afraid of that." Kagome groaned. "You remember those Egyptians I mentioned in the last room? Well they had a similar ritual."

Sesshomaru turned his full attention on her, curious about these ancients from her home. "Continue."

"They believed that their sun god, Ra, underwent a cycle of rebirth each day. Upon nightfall, he would die, and twelve goddesses would guide him through one of the twelve different realms of the Duat each hour. He was often accompanied by a heron known as the Bennu which was characterized by having two feathers and the sun crest upon its head."

"And this makes the bird dangerous?" Sesshomaru asked skeptically.

"It's the nature of the bird that is dangerous." Kagome replied quickly having noticed that the bird was beginning to advance on them. "The Bennu would accompany Ra because they shared the nature of rebirth. More specifically, the Bennu is born from its ashes after combusting into flame."

"Then that other bird was…"

"Oh yea," Kagome breathed, "Were dealing with the original phoenix."

Almost as if their words drew out the true nature of the bird, it erupted into flames and charged them both. Diving out of the way, the Bennu was successful in separating them and it immediately descended upon Kagome, believing her to be the weaker of the two.

Quickly summoning a bow with arrows, she peppered the bird and found to her dismay that her weapons were not having any effect other than causing minor discomfort. Dispelling her weapon she did what anyone in her position would do; she ran.

Thankfully, Sesshomaru was quick to unleash his sword upon the bird and was successful in drawing its attention away from her. From the sidelines, Kagome watched as Sesshomaru skillfully fought the Bennu, easily evading its flames while making precise cuts to disable its wings.

Kagome found herself in awe of Sesshomaru; though she herself had fought him she had not had the chance to admire the efficiency or fluidity of his swordplay. His breathing and movements were synchronized so to achieve greatest amount of strength without exhausting himself and his every step was a tactical advancement. Even an untrained eye could tell that he was a man who had fought many battles and learned from his experiences; who knew what his weaknesses were and strove to improve them. His eyes shone with the knowledge that the lives of many depended upon his victories. That he was a man a woman could depend upon, someone who would keep his promise to return to her. Someone Kagome would trust at her side, defending her back, protecting her heart-

Kagome immediately terminated that train of thought, her right hand reaching down to touch the metal band upon her left hand's fourth finger. _Remember, Kagome_. She told herself sternly, _You have places to return to, promises of your own to keep._

The great bird, feared by many, truly didn't stand a chance against Sesshomaru. Fighting to its last, the great bird shrieked which momentarily disabled Sesshomaru due to his proximity with it, thus providing the Bennu the opportunity to close in on him. Sesshomaru brought up his sword to parry the birds claws at the last moment, successfully knocking the bird off balance. Though the bird had advanced on Sesshomaru in a desperate attempt to finish him off, the move proved its own undoing when Sesshomaru took advantage of its imbalance and sliced the birds head clean off.

Satisfied that he could finally work out some of the tension that had been building up lately, Sesshomaru proceeded to clean his blade before replacing in its scabbard at his waist. When he had finished his task, he turned triumphant eyes on Kagome.

Kagome's heart instantly beat a little faster. Back home on earth, Kagome knew that women would instinctively be drawn to his charisma. They would think that they could tame him; that though he may have an evil streak, he would be kind to them alone. However, Kagome also knew that they would be wrong. The creature standing before her was a proud demon and to tame him or even think to would be to destroy everything that makes him who he is. Despite the corpse at his feet and the bloodthirsty light in his eyes she couldn't help but think he looked magnificent.

Once again, her fingers brushed her engagement ring in reminder.

"This Sesshomaru 3, the plebeian 4." _And the stupid dog had to open his mouth_ , she thought exasperated.

"Oh, shut up." Kagome muttered, eyeing the corpse of the bird. Nothing in the room had changed and no door had appeared. That meant that something was still missing. Looking back at the images she struggled to find the answer.

"It is fortuitous that this Sesshomaru was here," Sesshomaru said as he came to stand beside her, dropping the bird's head at her feet. For some reason his instincts had driven him to present his kill to her and, though he did not know the reasons why, he decided to humor them as long as he could get a reaction out of the curious girl.

"Well for some reason, my powers weren't working." Kagome muttered as she half ignored him and completely ignored the head.

"Hn. This Sesshomaru believes that that was a result of the nature of your powers. As a miko, your powers are of holy origin. The bird, too, drew its power from the holy forces."

"That's not how the power works here, Sesshomaru." Kagome sighed as she turned to face him. "From what I've seen, all power comes from nature and the spirits that abide in all living things. Power can be tainted, but its origins have the same root as your abilities and my own. I suppose that it's possible that power can be categorized based on how the power is manifested though. I was taught by a miko so your hypothesis my not be completely incorrect."

Sesshomaru remained silent, speculating her words. Or rather, her choice of the words _what she had seen._

"I can't seem to figure out this last part though." she said turning back to the wall, "It's so frustrating, like the answer is at the tip of my tongue. Something about the origins of the phoenix…" She trailed off as she remembered the sight they had come upon when entering the room. "Shit! Sesshomaru, we have to run!" She yelled as she grabbed his arm, much to his consternation, and pulled him to the other side of the room after tossing the head back towards the body. Just as she did so, the Bennu erupted into flames that burned so bright the two had no choice but to avert their gaze.

As the light began to die down, a rumble began to shake the room and they both watched as a spiral staircase descending beneath the floor made itself known. Cautiously, Sesshomaru and Kagome made their way to the top of it and were about to begin their decent when a soft chirping filled the air causing Kagome to pause. There lying among the ashes was a baby heron with two little feathers and a sun disk on atop his head, rolling on its front as it tried to stand; its legs too weak to support its body. It took but a moment for the little thing to capture Kagome's heart and she turned pleading eyes upon Sesshomaru.

"No."

"But Sesshomaru-"

"No."

"I promise that I will take care of it!"

"Do you even know what it eats? Its preferred habitat?"

"But-"

"Then there's the issue of it spontaneously catching fire."

"It only did that because you killed it." Kagome pouted.

"This Sesshomaru said no and that's final."

"Wait…" Kagome said with narrowed eyes. "You're not the boss of me! I am a grown woman living in the twenty first century!" She turned back to the bird that was nibbling at the surrounding ashes. "I'm going to take you home with me." She said smiling down on it fondly. Sesshomaru chose to ignore the two of them and confidently strode into the depths below.

When the winding stairs finally ended, the trio found themselves in a room of archways arranged in a circle so that each door led in a different direction. There were six vaulting archways, each inlayed with a green, red, yellow, orange, blue, or white stone at the crest of the gate. Carved into the stone wall above them were the words 'Hall of Lies.'

Groaning at the sight, Kagome wined, "I hate arches."

Though puzzled at her meaning, Sesshomaru moved forward to investigate the entryways. It seemed that they each had a short inscription carved into the ground before each gate.

"Red: spring is a time of truth." Kagome said as she peaked from behind his elbow. She glanced up at him, looking for a sign of comprehension, before moving on to the next arch. "Orange: A pure soul will guide you. Yellow: Enter. Green: Water reflects the truth. Blue: Fear the blood of fallen enemies. White: The gate of the sky speaks true."

Humming to herself, Kagome shuffled about trying to figure out the puzzle. The silence was stifling, something she definitely did not appreciate about having a mute companion. Speaking of which, Kagome turned to ask if he could shed some of his infinite wisdom on their predicament only to watch as he walked confidently through the yellow marked gateway.

Sesshomaru frowned when the hall beneath the gate ultimately reached a dead end. His claws racked against the stone halting his forward progress, frustrated. The sound of stone rubbing against stone sounded in his sensitive ears and he immediately became aware of the walls closing in on him. Without wasting any time, he launched himself for the gate which was slowly being covered by a narrow piece of descending stone. Of course it didn't stand a chance against him.

Kagome coughed as the dust of shattered stone filled the room and she quickly covered the baby Bennu with her shirt. When the dust finally settled, Kagome felt the overwhelming urge to scrub away the layers of dirt which had adhered to her sweaty body. Even worse was that Sesshomaru, the cause of the problem, was brushing the single speck of dirt that had landed on him from his shoulder with a look of severe dislike upon his face.

"Smart, Sesshomaru. Really smart." Kagome said dryly.

"This Sesshomaru had determined that the yellow door speaks lies." He said it with such distaste, clearly angered at the fact that something, even if it was inanimate, would dare lie to him.

"That's too bad." Kagome said slowly, like she was speaking with a child, "Why don't we try to figure out the answer before recklessly going through one of the doors next time? How does that sound?"

"Do not patronize this Sesshomaru."

"I wouldn't dare." She retorted with an incredulous gasp. His eyes narrowed on her, not believing her lie for even a moment. "So I guess this means that we have to figure out which door to go through." She said as she threaded her fingers through her hair frustrated. "I guess let's work our way across then."

"Hn."

Kagome shot him an annoyed look then moved to investigate the doors again. "So the red door says that 'spring is a time of truth' which we can take to mean it is a time of falsities. Spring would be green?" she finished as she looked to Sesshomaru for confirmation. He nodded in agreement. "So the green door is out."

Sesshomaru went next and examined the orange door. "A pure soul will guide you." He narrowed his eyes on Kagome, immediately suspicious.

"Don't look at me like that!" she snapped, "I haven't felt the dark energy since stepping into this messed up tomb."

"Hn." He replied doubtfully, "Purity is often associated with the color white."

"So the white door will not guide us." Kagome clarified, "Ok. And clearly the yellow door was wrong." Sesshomaru grumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a promise of death to the tombs creator. "The green door says that the blue door is a reflection of truth." At the same time, both Kagome and Sesshomaru looked at the door located across from the blue: orange. "So the orange door is also false as it is the reflection of lies."

"The blue door states that one should fear the blood of fallen enemies." Sesshomaru gave the door a challenging look. "This Sesshomaru fears nothing."

"That's great, Sesshomaru, really." Kagome replied distractedly, "So the blood is referring to the color red and the inscription can be translated to 'We should not fear the red door." Kagome clapped her hands together. "Well, I guess that sums that up. Let's take the red door."

Cautiously, they approached the red gate. Sesshomaru was amused to hear Kagome repeating a mantra of 'I hate arches, I hate arches, I hate arches,' as they stepped through, also recalling with further curiosity that she had been careful not to touch anything in the previous room. When nothing happened upon their entrance, Kagome released a great sigh of relief.

Then…the floor collapsed.


End file.
